


Metal Doesn't Rust... a fic by NinjaPastry and The Whistler

by The_Whistler



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Mimes, Other, Robots, and I guess there's some violence, and there's a rape later but no gritty details, but yeah I don't think the tags really cover it, everything but the danged kitchen sink, the other tags don't make it clear, underage romance but nothing graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-03-06 23:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 168
Words: 297,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3151715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Whistler/pseuds/The_Whistler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ongoing completely out there events of day to day life in Walter Manor without respect for time, space, or persons. A fic with the goal of twisting as many feels as we can wring from you. Taken on when NinjaPastry asked for someone to join him in a team fic, alternating chapters, trying to get the most feels. I think maybe it was meant to be connected but not as much as it is... it's a soap opera now, don't ever doubt it. There is everything in here. BUT while people do in fact jump in the sack far more regularly than I had ever expected in a fic that still has been suffered to continue on the Cavalcadium, well... it's not NSFW. Seriously. We pull our punches there and I'm keeping each installment in its "pristine" form. First comes NinjaPastry's introduction, and his beginning chapter. I was so struck with conscience over the events in it that I made up some nonsense on the spot to make myself feel better... and the rest is chaos. It's already a huge out of control thing which may never end or may just stop, mid-complication, someday when we decide we just don't have the time. I'll copy over chapters as time allows. Only a few have titles but I'll add a little summary for each. Enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rapid Succession - NinjaPastry

**Author's Note:**

> NinjaPastry, Wed Mar 19, 2014 - 
> 
> Let the madness begin.  
> Basics:  
> We're both going with the flow like dead fish. We're both putting in up to 3 OCs. We're both going to rip your hearts out.  
> Despite this week's news of Paige, Michael and Matt leaving SPG, they will still be included in the fictions as if they never left, or were forced to stay at the manor by some happening (further deductions will be made).  
> As always, enjoy and feedback would be great :D

Silver hand over silver hand, The Spine stood like a soldier in the fall winds, looking to the freshly carved rock done by his hand. No one really knew outside of the manor; family, friends, fans, no one. Not even his girlfriend knew, but that wouldn't last long.  
  
That one night, that one beer, that one tear shed. It all led up to the most painful stone carving for The Spine; two graves for two members. Leaves of reds and burnt oranges covered the dead grass around his black dress shoe-covered feet. The dirt was starting to settle, as was all of the others. Their crying stopped, Peter went into the basement, and She left him alone.  
  
Death left him alone, The Spine. His love, Death herself, left him alone, left the others alone. But sadly, not these two. The two behind the bots, the ones who changed out batteries in the youngest bot and the two that held the beat and tune going on stage for years. Michael and Matthew. Friends, family, dead.  
  
"Leave me alone," Michael hissed behind the wheel, Matt beside him with a sigh, released by the seat belt tugging on his chest as Michael slowed to a stop at the local QuikTrip. "I mean, she leaves me for my best friend. Matt, you could have done something!"  
  
"Can't stop love, dude. If Jingle wants to love up to a robot rather than a human, let her," Matt replied. "Jon left UpGrade for her, so I'm sure UpGrade's having the same conversation with Spine by now."  
  
"They're leaving for Kazooland in about a week, too!" Michael said loudly, acting as if he hadn't heard Matt's words in the small Chevrolet. It was the Walter Family car, let used by only the band members who were trusted to drive a vehicle, and those who were running errands and picking up supplies from drop-off areas by the shady figures Peter talked to at a constant.  
  
"Let her go, Mike," Matt growled. He was no therapist, but he was still there for Michael, despite how annoying it was getting. Sure, Jingle an Michael had been together since a month after she was created from the basics of Matt's dead little sister, but that didn't mean he could huff and puff and blow out Matt's mind with his pestering of him to get her back for him.  
  
"I'm getting a beer. Want anything?" Michael asked, unbuckling his belt and letting it slap and slam against the desk it protruded from. Matt glared at Michael then.  
  
"A beer? While driving? Are you really that stupid?" Matt questioned, looking into the QuikTrip to watch the other people of San Diego leave and enter, as if their lives depended on that one pack of cigarettes or sugar-powered doughnuts.  
  
"Yes, Matt. I'm so stupid as to risk our lives over my depression of a broken heart caused by your dead sister. Shut up," he grunted, opening the door and stepping out into the brisk night air. It was October, and usually October wasn't this chill, but this week it was, and would feel that way for them for many more.  
  
"Get me a Coke!" he yelled from inside the silver car, scratch marks from various clawed hands of robots permanently etched into the metal. Michael waved, letting him know he heard him, and entered the QuikTrip. A mom with her two tired-looking kids walked past him leaving with three bags of what looked like various candies and bags of chips. An old man purchased a lighter with an American flag on it while Michael passed the counter to the back end of the store.  
  
As Michael ventured towards the drinks, Matt pulled out his phone, going through his texts. A new text from Peter made him groan. "U guys need 2 b here asap" it read. Great. Another shut down, accident, or robot threatening another robot. Just what the two needed.  
  
Michael returned to the car with a bud-light and a coke-a-cola, passing the two to his bestie. "We need to get back to the manor, so you're not having this," Matt scolded, putting the bottle at his feet and opening the plastic bottle of soda for himself. Michael strapped himself in, glaring at Matt.  
  
"Then I'm having it when we get there," he replied, starting up the engine. "And you're dealing with whatever. I'm having my drink, then going to bed."  
  
"In Janelle's bed? Or my bed, since you gave yours up for Rabbit's mattress fort back in May?"  
  
"On the couch," Michael yelled, pulling out of his parking spot. Matt instinctively grabbed hold of the car door, leaning back in his seat uncomfortably. He didn't trust Mad Michael. No one did. Last time he was mad he ripped Spine's wires out his neck. Everyone was afraid of him for three days; avoiding conversation, avoiding him.  
  
Now Matt was in a car driving down the high way with a very upset Michael Reed, a bottle of beer at his feet and his Coke griped tightly by the cup holder, his heart beating in his ears and his hands shaking. "M-Michael? Mind slowing down a bit?" he asked, looking over at him with his blue eyes wide.  
  
"Yeah, man," Michael replied, snapping to attention and releasing his foot slightly from the gas pedal, Matt letting out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Thank-"  
  
According to the crash report, someone veered into the lane, causing Michael to hit the diving wall and total the car, the beloved beings inside. Peter decided it would be better for Michael's family not to know and to tell Matt's, for they were sort of known to that pain. They knew Janelle was dead, and they would now know Matthew was, well, you can only guess.  
  
Jingle wasn't informed until the next morning, wondering why Michael hadn't changed out the batteries on her charger deck like he did ever night before. Jon and UpGrade were busy packing when they heard, both astounded. Rabbit was coloring on Matter Master David's face while he slept when she found out. Hatchworth was playing with spiders when he found out. Everyone else found out by telecommunications via Steve and Bee-Bop.  
  
And now Spine stands over their graves, looking between the one with drum sticks on the head to the one with a pair of goggles on the head. Michael Philip Reed, Matthew Elton Smith, and beside them both lay the one he dreaded the most, the one who he saved after being thrown from a vehicle, Janelle Maryanne Smith-Walter.  
  
Gabi put the two men in nicely pressed suits, made their hair look fancy, and lay them with flowers and their prized possessions. Matt's drumsticks were in the back of his shirt, and Michael's goggles were around his neck. Jingle didn't get to go to the funerals, but was walking up behind Spine, her Speed Racer plush toy in her hand. It was vintage, given to her by her Pappy, Peter the Sixth, from one of the previous Peters who owned it.  
  
"Spine?" she asked, startling him, "What is Pappy working on?" Her vocoder was cracking from over use. She had been screaming in the vaults for the past day and a half. Spine turned slowly to look at her, seeing her hands damaged and pieces missing from her face. Spine let out a sigh of steam and walked to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Pappy is working, so let him work. You know not to ask questions about what he's working on."  
  
"But, I want to know if he's making Michael and Matt all better, like how he promised me." Their green eyes locked and he could see the oil remnants on her face and the golden colour of the plates in a dripping-down pattern.  
  
"Yes," Spine said softly, "he's making them all better." Jingle, better known from her given name of The Wheel, smiled at him kindly, and he smiled back to her. "I'm going to stay out here for a while longer. Would you like to say anything to them before your battery runs dry?"  
  
She nodded and slipped past him, looking to the two stones, then to her own. She sniffled, then knelt before Michael's, setting Speed Racer against his stone. Spine stood back, watching her every shaking move, seeing how badly she was affected. Her brother and her love, gone, ripped from her in an instant.  
  
"Michael," she started, a little bit of static coming from her vocoder. "I am sorry. You were leaving me alone, and you did not respond to me when I called. You were not there when I was having nightmares, or when I was shutting down. No one was because they expected you to be there. I am sorry."  
  
The Spine hung his head, Rabbit putting a hand to his shoulder. She must've walked over to them while Spine was watching, because she wasn't there before. Together they watched as she leaning over and kissed the stone ever so gently, wiping her face and falling back onto her bottom, curling up against his stone. A hand slipped into Spine's from his other side, surprised to see the pink-faced robot taking off her hat and putting it to her chest, sniffling.  
  
"Jingle, would ya like to say somethin' to Matt?" Rabbit offered, stopping her from crying. She looked to her older sister and nodded, looking to the other stone. With great effort, she crawled to his stone and sat, crossing her legs and leaning against the stone, looking at the detailed etching of his name. Hatchworth walked up and stood next to UpGrade, pushing up his glasses.  
  
"Matt, I miss you," was all she said before coughing and crying out, wrapping her shaking and damaged arms around his stone and crying into it. Spine looked to Rabbit who was wiping her face of her tears. So was Jon, who was covering his face and heaving. Rabbit kindly put a hand to his back and patted it in a rhythmic beat, looking to him with concern.  
  
There they all stood, the magical five, watching and crying as Jingle sat and sobbed. They all remembered the fun times they had with the both of them them, all the concerts and parties and running around the manor in fixation over hitting one or the other. But there they all stood, feeling sympathy, regret, remorse, over The Wheel.  
  
There all six robots of the Walter Robotics family were, at the edge of the Walter Cemetery. Rabbit, The Spine, The Jon, UpGrade, Hatchworth, and The Wheel; a family, and a broken one in rapid succession of death, replacements, and updates.  
  
The wind blew, a whistling sound coming from the many holes in Hatchworth's face. The robots looked to each other, then UpGrade walked forward to Jingle, putting a hand to her shoulder and squatting down.  
  
"C'mon now, Jingle," she said softly and sadly, "Let's go inside before it rains, kay? We can watch Speed Racer," she offered, looking back to the other bots who nodded. Jingle nodded and UpGrade helped her stand, walking with her and the other bots back into the manor, that empty feeling deep within all of the bots. The humans were gone. Who wouldn't feel empty?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, there's your start. I think that gives you a good idea what you're in for (we do try to soften the blows. I try that in the next chapter).
> 
> I promise, it gets more pleasant, even if there are lots of twists in every direction.


	2. Hm, yes... You, uh... you killed 'em. That's a toughie... - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I didn't have a title, that was my comment... Alright, what's lost is found!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope I'm doing this right, and that I didn't go too far. I think it's a bit early to be doing things to these two, but I don't have the heart to just leave them in the ground...
> 
> Disclaimer: We aren't writing about real people, but fictionalized versions of them. I generally avoid even that... but I had an idea...
> 
> Apologies to anyone from England, as I dunno how well I did with the slang... But my robots are British, so...

“Mum! Click’s been mucking about the rubbish tip again!”  
  
“Boyle, you little sod…” muttered a little silver and gold automaton, shoving her bronze brother out of the way of her battered red wagon.  
  
“Click, Boyle, give over…” said a third robot.  
  
“Little? I’m taller than you!” he snapped.  
  
“But I’m older, you great tin of beans! How would you like me to tell Mum about some of your little hobbies, eh, Boyle? Some of your ‘collections?’”  
  
“Shut your gob, Click!”  
  
“Emmeline!” she cried, stomping her foot. The room shuddered.  
  
“Click…” hissed the bronze robot. “Mum named you Cliiiick.”  
  
“Emmeline! Emmeline! Emmeline!” she screamed again, stomping with each shout.  
  
A glass bell trembled toward the edge of a shelf and slipped over only to be caught by careful, rubberized iron fingers.  
  
“What’s all this noise about, then?” cried a rather shrill voice. A small, rather motherly woman with golden brown hair in a very messy bun and glasses slipping down her nose came jogging into the room, tugging a grey cardigan over her shoulders. She looked directly at the glass bell, held very carefully in the fingers of the tall automaton.  
  
“Oh, Block! Put it down, love! What have I told you lot about the glassware?” she said in weary tones.  
  
“Yes, Dr. Lennox,” said the tall iron robot, obediently returning the bell to the shelf.  
  
“Mum!” cried Boyle. He was almost entirely composed of ovals, and now even his eyes were round, trying to look as innocent as possible. “Click’s been skiving off and collecting rubbish again!”  
  
“Oh, Cli… Emmeline, love, no more of that bric-a-brac, your room’s piled high with it as it is!”  
  
“But Mum, I needed more wires, and I saw these things… they’re brilliant! I can make something out of all this, look!”  
  
The little woman looked at the battered red wagon full of spare parts. “Oh, love… well, I… You know I’m proud of you three and all the things you’ve learned to do, but…” She stopped, exasperated. “Have you done your chores?”  
  
Emmeline sighed as heavily as a robot could do with no lungs. “No, Mum…”  
  
“Put that lot into your room and go check the scanners and transmitters just as quick as you can. My remote has been blipping all morning. There’s some sort of interference.”  
  
The robot girl groaned and got to work.  
  
“And Emmeline, love, switch on yehr nice voice.”  
  
“Eauwww Mum!” she groaned. “Fine, ugh… Vocal assembly transfer, Kate sodding…”  
  
“Emmeline!”  
  
The little robot hung her head irritably. “”Vocal assembly transfer, Kate Blanchett.”  
  
“Thank you, dear. Now get along.”  
  
Emmeline towed her wagon full of parts along, pausing at her room and shrugging before pulling the lot with her to the radio room. She could poke through the pieces while she monitored the transmissions.  
  
Why her mother kept this old fashioned room when a computer could do it all, she couldn’t imagine. There was even a computer running it all, with high speed internet, but still they kept the old fashioned radio running. Emmeline’s chore was to monitor signals during certain times of the day when, according to her mother, there was higher radio traffic.  
  
Emmeline had answered about five calls in the last two years.  
  
She parked her wagon and sank into the chair. With the flip of a few switches, the radio board came to life. She set the speaker to transmit directly to her audio assembly and picked up a large spring, flicking away bits of rust.  
  
“Good afternoon,” she said in the dulcet tones of Lady Galadriel. “You have reached the household of Dr. Carol Lennox. State your business.”  
  
“H-hello…”  
  
“Crumbs, there’s actually someone there!” she gasped. “State your name.”  
  
“What? Where am I, exactly?”  
  
“How should I know?”  
  
“Why are the lights out?”  
  
“I’m sorry, sir, but you’re going to have to tell me more about your situation before I can help you…”  
  
“Is this 911? Only I think there’s been…”  
  
“I knew it,” she interrupted, slipping back into her familiar, slightly shrill voice. “You’re American!”  
  
“Oh, well, yeah…”  
  
She bobbed excitedly. “Eeee! Have you ever met Lady Gaga?”  
  
“Have I what?”  
  
“Oh, no, I suppose that’s silly. But… I’ll bet you’ve seen Steam Powered Giraffe in concert!”  
  
“Well… now that you mention it…”  
  
“Oh, you lucky thing! I keep asking them when they’re coming to England and I think they blocked my Tumblr… I guess I asked too many times!” She giggled.  
  
“Yeah, they get tired of that, but that’s a bit much…”  
  
“So… I’m Emmeline! What’s yer name?”  
  
“Oh, my name… it’s… um… Philip.”  
  
“Just Philip?” she asked brightly. Maybe she knew him online…  
  
“Philip… um… Fry.”  
  
Emmeline froze. “Did you say Philip Fry?”  
  
“Yeah. Call me Phil.”  
  
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call you Fry?”  
  
“Well, some people do…”  
  
“Yes.,” she said dryly. “Y’know, Phil, I realize I’m a bit late for this, but if you’re sent to deliver a pizza to a bloke named I.C. Wiener who works in a cryogenics lab, you should probably give it a miss…”  
  
He sighed angrily. “Look…”  
  
“We get telly in England, mate. Now tell me who you really are or I’m switching you off.”  
  
“I can’t, okay?”  
  
“Not okay. Goodbye!”  
  
“Wait-“  
  
She pulled the wire, satisfied. He had his chance.  
  
There was a movement in her wagon. She looked around sharply and saw a tiny ear.  
  
“Oh, no… Oh, look at you!” she squeaked, reaching into the debris and lifting out a tiny ginger striped kitten. “Aw, sweet baby, how did you get in there? Oh, there’s no finding your mummy now… The place was being moved about so…”  
  
“Keep it warm,” came a voice. Emmeline jumped and looked around quickly. The wire was still disconnected.  
  
“You what? How are you doing that?”  
  
“I… don’t know…”  
  
“Are you talking in my head?” she cried.  
  
“I think so…”  
  
“Oh, that’s just bloody lovely… I have a virus. But how?”  
  
“I’m not a…”  
  
“Or malware! You’d better get your malicious programming out of there double quick before I start the scan!” she cried, reconnecting to the radio computer.  
  
“Wait! I’m ready to tell you my name!”  
  
“Oh? Make it quick…”  
  
“It’s Michael Reed!”  
  
“Oh, that’s the same as…” She froze again. “Which Michael Reed?”  
  
“From Steam Powered Giraffe! That Michael Reed!”  
  
No… “Oh, really? And I’m Delilah Moreau.”  
  
“Emmeline, it’s true!”  
  
It sounded a little bit like him… “Now see here, you can’t be.”  
  
“I am!”  
  
It wasn’t possible… “Look, chum, Michael Reed died a week ago, along with…!”  
  
“What?”  
  
Or was it? “You heard me. He was in a…”  
  
“Car crash…” he interrupted, adding slowly, “I thought I was dreaming…”  
  
No, it simply wasn’t possible! “Dreaming?”  
  
“I thought… maybe I imagined it, that Rabbit had pulled some prank somehow… Oh, good lord, Matt was in the car too…”  
  
He was taking it way too far. “Yeah, Matt Smith died as well.”  
  
“Oh, no… No! This is horrible!”  
  
This was starting to freak her out… it wasn’t funny anymore. “That’s enough of that. You’re not Michael Reed. You’d have to be dead…”  
  
“That’s the trouble!” he cried miserably. “I think I am!”  
  
Emmeline froze for a third time. She set the kitten carefully on the radio board where it stared at her, its tiny mouth opening in a silent miaow.  
  
“You’re… the g-g-g-g-g… you’re a g-g-g-g-g… you’re the spirit of M-M-M-M…”  
  
She hit the floor with a deafening thud, stunned. When she recovered, thirty-seven seconds later, she bolted through the house, screaming for her mum.  
  
Michael Reed, back in the radio once more, couldn’t weep, couldn’t tremble, and most distressing… couldn’t leave.  
  
“Matt, if I ended up here… where are you?” he asked the emptiness.  
  
There was only silence in response. The kitten curled into a ball and went to sleep.  
  
In a crackling voice filled with anguish, Michael whispered, “Dude… I… I’m so sorry…”


	3. Heterochromia - NinjaPastry

"Colonel Doctor Leonardo James Kinglser the Third," Carolina read aloud to herself as she stopped in front of his office, given to him by Peter. "Quite the name for a fifteen year old..."

She stepped in with a manilla folder in her grip, tapping upon the door frame with a held breath. Leo looked up from his work and saw her, a smile crawling across his face. He placed his pencil down upon the desk and rubbed one of his eyes, waving her in with the other hand.

She trotted in with her high heels clicking upon the hard wood floors. "Leo, Peter had me xerox these prints of the plans for M..Mike and Matt," she said with obvious struggle, holding out the folder to him. He stopped rubbing his eye and took it from her, opening it and letting out a gratifying sigh.

"These look amazing, Carolina," he gushed, looking up at her and nodding. He nodded back, looking at the amazing greens of his left eye and the soft and warm browns of the right eye. "Please let David know that I've gotten these, and if you could get Mistress Bunny to up the voltage of the power surging in K-4, that'd be great."

She was too distracted by his build than what he was saying. It was alright, though, since he was writing it down for her. She was watching his movements, the crinkling of his shirt over his muscles, and the way he would shift in his seat before looking up to her. She snapped to attention and cleared her throat, looking to the blue and black of her pigtails.

"Yes, sir," she huffed, taking the slip of paper from him and slipping it into the clip of her clipboard. His writing was even beautiful! She sighed and nodded, taking a little curtsey before spinning around on her heels and walking out with a slight sway of her hips. Leo laughed, looking back to the prints.

Intricate swirls, tubes, wires, and plates. Blue matter cores that had been modified over the years, and with Leo and Bunny's help, nearly perfected. There were two plans, one for a taller build and one for a shorter build. One was printed with a purple line across the top, the other with a blue line. Peter liked colour coordination, so this was just like him to do.

Leo sat up in his chair, hearing the binary across the wi-fi for him. Something along the lines of "Rabbit hit Jingle again", possibly. With a groan, he stood and exited his office, turning out the light and ignoring the many voices following him.

The voices were the spirits, but he had learned to ignore them. He itched at a bullet wound on his shoulder blade and kept forward, passing The Spine who was going the other way with UpGrade on his back. She was singing something to him, and he was humming along, so Leo smiled and pretended to hum along.

After he was able to stop hearing them, next came the staircase. He had heard stories of people falling down them, all the way from the sixth floor, to which it reached. Michael tried, once, but Rabbit stopped him just in time. Jingle actually managed, on accident. Leo supported neither the ladder nor the cause.

He started to climb them when Peter huffed into his ear. "Leo, I think I messed up on putting Mike and Matt in the radio waves," he said into his ear piece. Leo pressed a finger to the silver button that was pressed into the ear that wasn't burnt, then ran his fingers through his short and spikey black and blue split hair.

"How so, sir?" he replied with a question.

Peter hesitated to reply, then said, "I got a call from the U.K. Some little girl got Mike ove the radio, and we can't find Matt."

"But we need them back by next Monday for the downloads, don't we?"

"Exactly. Make sure you get the back, and I'm putting Carolina with you until then," Peter said before shutting off his comms. He usually went quiet for days when working on something. The boy growled under his breath as he turned the corner from the steps to the fourth floor.

He walked forward four steps before he heard a scream and a loud and maniac laugh. His army training kicked in and he ran down the hall, the spirits laughing in his face and leading him to where it came from (Some were helpful, others weren't).

Jingle shrieked and a loud bang echoed through the halls, Rabbit screaming out and another shriek coming from Jingle. "All your fault" was all Leo could make out from Rabbit's shouting, a breath taken from him. The fear kicked in; the fear of Rabbit.

He ran around the corner and into the room, one of Rabbit's headquarters as Hatchworth called them, and saw Jingle in the corner as Jon and Hatchy held Rabbit back. Hatchy looked to the doorway, worry stricken across his face. He must've sent the signal to him.

"R..," Leo started, unable to say her name without thinking of the burning sensation in his ear that wasn't really an ear any more. "R-Rabbit!" Le shouted. She ignored him and jolted at Jon and Hatchy's arms, Jingle shrieking again. "Atten-TION!"

Rabbit stopped, standing tall, as did Jon. They looked like soldiers, leaving Jingle and Hatchy to run from the room and down the hall tot he safety of the H.O.W. Leo stepped forward, hearing the whimpering sounds of Jon's PTSD come from his vocoder. Leo stopped to face the two, glaring at Rabbit.

"At ease, Jonathan," he barked. Jon cried out and sprinted out of the room, hitting a table in the hallway on his way down the hall. Leo looked around the room, seeing the painted over Sharpie marker and the un-stuffed stuffed animals. Rabbit must go here when she's upset or angry or something, because it had an overall angry and upsetting vibe.

"Do not hit," Leo started, "do not yell, and do not ever scare Miss Smith. Is that understood?" Leo could hear his heart pound in his ears, loving the old rush of adrenaline in his veins and the twitch of his left hand. He especially loved the terrified look upon the copper bot's face as he did stand a clear three inches taller than her.

"I asked, is that understood?!" he shouted. Rabbit nodded and he nodded back, putting his hands behind his back. "Go clean up Jon's mess and I'll see you at updates." Rabbit walked past him and he hung his head in the not-so-silent silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (( Sorry if i make mine too long or anything. let me know if I should change anything. and sorry, but they were out fo the band, so they die. but no worries, in this they're soo coming back. one way or another ;D ))


	4. Not so much feels as set up - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this isn't so much feels as set up... the feels hit harder if you build them up... And if you're in their respective positions, you'd be having some pretty strong feelings about all of it.

Emmeline had gotten over her alarm in record time.  
  
"So I take these bits an' bobs and make something new!" she was chattering. "Like this, look at this! And Mum says it's just taking up space!"  
  
She was holding up an old hand-crank egg beater with ribbons fitted in place of the beaters. She cranked it, and the ribbons fluttered madly and promptly wrapped around each other, halting the motion of the beaters.  
  
"Well, that one needs work. But just look at this!"  
  
She wasn't even asking how he could see the things she was holding up. Mike wasn't sure himself. Right now she was holding up a Barbie doll with a missing head which had been replaced with a plastic brown rabbit head.  
  
"Ah, yeah, funny. Girl Rabbit, right?"  
  
"You what?" She looked at it. "Would ya look at that... I never even thought of that..." She giggled. "Oh, that's a good one!"  
  
He wasn't sure if she was a poorly programmed automaton or just unusually stupid. He didn't dislike her; she seemed quite nice. But she was a few teeth short of a gear...  
  
"And this! I ask you! What do you think this is?""  
  
"It's... um, it's... what the crud is it?"  
  
"I was hoping you knew," She tossed it behind her, wincing at the deafening thud. "Oops."  
  
"Emmeline!" said Dr. Lennox, hurrying into the radio room. "I've called that nice Mr. Walter and he said yes, he would like him back."  
  
"Eauwww..."   
  
"Trouble is, getting them back to him... Radio isn't very reliable. Otherwise the poor lamb wouldn't have ended up here." She rapped lightly on the radio board. "Are ya in there, love?"  
  
"I'm here."  
  
"Oh, lovely. Well, I'm afraid we're going to have to do something I'd rather not do."  
  
"What?" asked Emmeline.  
  
"Go to America, dear." She sighed. "All the way to San Diego."  
  
"All of us?" Emmeline squeaked. The radio let out a shrill whine and she kicked it until it stopped.  
  
"Hey!" cried Michael.  
  
"Emmeline, please! No, not all of us."  
  
"Eauwwww..."  
  
"Oh, you're going, love, don't worry. As he seems so comfortable with you, I'll bring you along as a portable flash drive. I expect he requires a lot of memory..."  
  
What touching maternal sentiment, thought Mike.   
  
"Eeeee!" squealed Emmeline, setting off the shrill whine once more. She kicked it again.  
  
"Wait!" he cried. "Does that mean I'll be riding inside her... all the way to San Diego?"  
  
"It sounds rather off when you say it like that, Michael, love..."  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
"But yes, you'll be stored in her spare memory until Mr. Walter can download you into a more isolated containment unit."  
  
"If it's all the same to you," Mike said quickly, "I think I'd like to take my chances with radio signals..."  
  
They laughed even though he didn't say anything funny. He sighed, wondering how he could sigh, and began making a list of hard questions to ask Peter VI once he had the chance. Question one, what the actual BLEEP did he think he was doing...  
  
\----------  
  
Matt stretched and yawned silently. What a weird dream!  
  
He got out of bed, scratching in various places, and started to head for the kitchen.  
  
Only his body had a different idea than he did about just where that was.  
  
"What?" he cried as his body took charge and headed for an entirely different kitchen, in a house he didn't recognize!   
  
At least, he tried to cry out... Nothing actually happened.  
  
Once his body had scored a cup of very dark coffee that made him shudder, it headed for the bathroom. After using the toilet it headed for the mirror... where he saw a familiar face... but not quite the way he'd expected to see it.  
  
Matt Smith, yes. Same hair, same features. Blue eyes. And white, white skin. Little black lines coming down from his lower eyelids. A mole in the shape of... was that a tear? Black lips. That can't be healthy.  
  
Even as his alarm grew, the face looking back yawned again, splashed a little water over its pasty skin, and walked out.  
  
The wardrobe: black trousers, black and white striped shirt, little black beret.  
  
"No!" he cried, as his curious mime doppelganger dressed. "No, don't put that on my head! The shirt is fine but... Argh, no, why? A beret, seriously?"  
  
Matt the Mime adjusted his beret in the mirror of his front entryway, picked up a pair of drumsticks and a black duffelbag, and headed out for the day. From the look of it, it was nearly noon.  
  
Well, Matt thought. At least I'm still a drummer.  
  
Whatever had happened, unless this was Hell, he'd give even odds that Peter VI had something to do with it. In fact, he was pretty confident that Peter was involved either way.


	5. Pink - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((that's just adorable XD))

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick? Tock. Tick. Tock!

That's what it felt like, the ticks and tocks of the grandfather clock fighting and chatting while he sat there in silence, The Spine. Just letting this thoughts run in one of his Pappy's offices, the two Peter 6 wasn't allowed to be in for sentimental reasons, and just because he'd trash it in the first week with plans that never worked.

He was sitting in Pappy's old chair, thankful that he had done some serious reinforcements to keep the many seats in the manor from being crushed under his children's weight. Well, Peter 2 and Peter 3 weren't that fat as children, but Spine, Rabbit, Jon, Hatchworth, and UpGrade sure were.

A smile crawled across his face at the thought of all of them as bubbling children like ho the twins were. It would be funny to see Rabbit a short little girl running around Pappy with a doll and a led stick, "wanting his autograph", a common activity for the twins when they were 3 to 8 years old.

He then began to wonder what he would be like as a bubbling child. Even the though made a few gears bend. But nothing prepared him for the scare of his day: Jingle standing int he doorway with a look on her face. Ya know, a look. All girls and women alike have a look, no matter what the situation. Jingle had a look. Spine instantly stood.

The pink swirls of her face shimmered in the light coming from behind The Spine, giving him a silhouetted attire that made her engine flick. His shadow stopped the light from shining onto her, making her look stronger. Her nose crinkled and her eyes were a dimmed green, steam puffing from her neck and slight sparks following. She wasn't giving a look. She was genuinely angry with him, or someone else.

"You promised," she squeaked.

"What did I promise you this time, Janelle?" Spine replied with his usual questions. Except, questions for the younger three were most times mandatory. Jonathan and UpGrade usually left the three older bots wondering what just hit them, that wave of confusion something well known to all leaders to the bots.

"You promised that Pappy would come upstairs today and he is still in the basement workshop, not up here playing checkers with me like you promised," she explained, crossing her arms across her chest and shifting her weight to one hip. The look was still strong with this one.

Spine let out some steam, walking towards her and putting a hand to her face, cupping her cheek. "Dearest," he mocked, "What have I told you?"

Jingle growled and let her engine rev before turning around. Spine quickly caught her sides and pulled her back, making her laugh. "I said that if Peter didn't come upstairs by 3 then I'd play with me," he grinned. "And now it's..." he looked behind him to the clock and then down to her, thankful she wasn't that much shorter than himself. "It's 2:57 right now. Three minutes. Okay?"

"Okay!" she laughed, clawing at his hands as UpGrade neared. "UpGrade," she shrieked, "help me! Spine is going to tickle me!"

"That hadn't crossed my mind, but now that you've said it," he smirked, looking to the other pink-faced lady in a black dress. She only rolled her eyes as Spine started to tickle Jingle's sides, making her screams and laugh, even as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. He had to let some steam loose in order to hold up her lightweight, only because of her thrashing and laughing.

"Petes says he's got lots more work to do. Leo's working and Jon's with Hatchy getting out the giraffes for the newcomers," UpGrade reported.

"Newcomers?" Spine asked.

"Some inventor from England and her creations think they've got Mik-" she was stopped by Spine's hand to her mouth, eyes wide and looking back to Jingle who had gone quiet, steam rising from her neck and battery pack.

"Thank the Third she short-circuited or else you'd have a lot of explaining to do, sis," he said to her. She gasped, staring at him. The look was initiated.

"Sis?" she asked, leaning into him with a snappy attitude, "Sis?! After all this time tat we were spending together and you call me sis! What is wrong with you, Spine? I thought we had something special!" she yelled, punching him in his arm, and hard. He stumbled back, dumbfounded, and scoffed as she walked away.

"I wasn't going to do anything more with you, anyhow!" he shouted. Just then, Jingle powered back up and wrapped an arm around Spine's neck, popping out his head and spine, grinning as she held his face in her hands and faced him. "You better put me back," he growled. She shook her head and dropped down from his grip.

"Only if we can go to the HOW and play checkers." Spine rolled his green eyes and looked into hers, a grin crawling across his face. "And I get to wear your fedora."

"Fine, but I get the red checkers," he bargained. She pouted, then laughed.

"Okay," she smiled, "Let's go!" she shouted, walking without putting him back into his body. However, the body followed anyways behind her. She even put her hand out and it grabbed her hand, making her smile. Spine just laughed and nuzzled up to her underarm where she was holding him, like a football.


	6. Six - Whistler

"Ah, hello! Yes, we're all ready for your visit. We look forward to having you here, Professor..."  
  
"Doctor," Carolina murmured casually.  
  
"Doctor, my apologies, yes," Peter amended quickly, tipping his head toward Carolina gratefully. He kept forgetting. "As for transporting the data... what? Well, yes... I know he has a name. He worked here. Walking memory? I'm sorry, I don't believe I know the American jargon for that. You know, the equivalent term we have for this walking memory... Oh, you did?"  
  
He covered the phone and hissed, "She made it up!" in pained tones. She shrugged and sealed another merchandise pouch.  
  
"Seriously, these loonies are gonna be here for a week, what am I gonna do?" he whispered as the scientist chattered to him about one of her automatons and the cute things Michael had said.  
  
She smiled and wiggled her fingers at him, then checked another item off her order list. He rolled his head around his shoulders in a gesture of violent exasperation.  
  
"Oh, that's cute..." he cooed, turning a perfect about face over the phone. "Yes, she should be very reliable with that capacity. I'm just suggesting that it might be easier to zip his file... Hello? Yes, I understand. Anyway, I converted his file to a... Yes, I said zip his file. To save space... Now, I wouldn't put it like that... Well, I'd say it was like he was taking a nap rather than being tied up and drugged, Professor..."  
  
"Doctor."  
  
"Doctor. Yes. So... hm?" He clenched his fist and shook it violently at nothing for a moment. It helped a little. He heard Carolina snort. "Yes, if she really wants him to keep her company on the plane..." He grimaced behind his mask. "Just give us a call when you land and I'll send Mr Negrete over to get the two of you. Yes, that's him. Yes, the man who carries a doll around." He shook his head. "No, we don't have a chauffeur; he just really likes driving. The man, not the doll." Not if they caught him first, anyway... "See you soon. Okay. Okay, good. Right. Got it. Yes. Mm-hm. Good... what? Not a problem, we appreciate you doing this for us. Buh-bye."  
  
Peter clicked off his phone and flopped backward into his chair so suddenly that it nearly fell over. A loud hiss sounded directly behind him and he leaped to his feet and around like a startled cat. Carolina squeaked and scowled at him, sucking on her finger where an envelope had cut it as her hand jerked in surprise.  
  
The Spine, his hand still on the chair from catching it as it tipped backward, stared wide-eyed and murmured, "Oh. Sorry, Peter."  
  
"Knock next time!"  
  
"But there aren't any doors..."  
  
"Knock on the wall, then!" He sat down again and sighed. "Just don't sneak up on me. I'm a bundle of nerves as it is. Look at my hands!"  
  
"Even shakier than usual," Carolina mused, ticking off another order. "Guess you picked the wrong week to quit drinking."  
  
He turned his mask slowly toward her, but she wasn't looking at him. He shrugged. "Hilarious. What's up, Spine?"  
  
"I've come to request that you avoid sending important messages by way of Upgrade unless you're willing to have the entire thing blabbed all over the Manor."  
  
"Oh, no..."  
  
"No, don't worry, I had a word with her. She's now sulking in her room."  
  
"Her usual reaction to you advice. Alright." He reached up in a frantic sort of way to run his fingers through his hair and jammed his forefinger on his mask. The Spine leaned back as Peter muttered muffled swear words and shook his hand violently.  
  
"When was the last time you slept, Peter?"  
  
"What? I'm fine. Mind your own business."  
  
"Snot," Carolina said to a black and red shirt as she tucked it neatly into a mailing sleeve.  
  
"And you," he growled. "So I tried to convince this Professor..."  
  
"Doctor."  
  
"Doctor lady to zip Mike's file but she's feeling all motherly toward him and thinks it would be inhumane! I tell you, Spine... women..."  
  
Carolina cleared her throat. Peter froze and he and The Spine both looked at her. She looked at them raised her eyebrows, and smiled. "It's okay, Peter. I know what you mean."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Yes, I'll just add it to the dossier in case I ever have to take legal action for workplace discrimination."  
  
"Heart-warming. Ow! Spine!" The Spine had flicked his ear and was now glowering at him. "Sorry, Carolina... I just mean that she's being awfully soft about this. It's a pain..."  
  
"Well, that's not exclusively a female trait. You've seen how The Spine gets about kittens."  
  
The Spine's glare changed directions. She giggled. "It's not women and men, Peter. It's scientists and non scientists. You're just chafing at the fact that another scientist actually remembers that Mike is a human being. Sounds like she sees her robots the same way. She sounds sweet. In fact, she reminds me of someone."  
  
"Hatchworth."  
  
"No! Colonel Walter."  
  
The Spine's eyes went from squinting to wide in a fraction of a second.  
  
"Don't you think, Spine?"  
  
He made a sound that resembled a hippopotamus whimpering like a puppy and strode out of the room.  
  
Peter sighed. "It's been a hard week. Don't tug at his feels, Carolina."  
  
"Sorry," she sighed. "So we know where Mike is but what about..."  
  
"No, I still don't know where he is, stop asking!" Peter snapped.  
  
She raised her gloved hands in a gesture of surrender. "Just asking a reasonable question. Poor Mike, anyway... it must feel weird to ride around in a body you can't control..."  
  
  
  
Matt was pleased to find out that his mime counterpart was a skilled drummer. He still wasn't fully convinced he wasn't dreaming as silent Matt practiced his set with his fellow band members, but even so, it was nice to sit behind the skins again.  
  
Though he still wasn't sure why that felt like such a big deal.  
  
How the mimes communicated was another mystery. He hadn't finished boggling over the sight of more than one of them seemingly speaking, silently, on cell phones on the way there. It was that much more bewildering when his doppelganger stepped out for some air and a stretch later and the late afternoon sun hit his eyes just so.   
  
He sneezed. Out loud.  
  
"He has a voice?" yelled Matt to no one at all. "Why do they mime then?"  
  
As Matt the Mime went back inside, Matt the Human knew his course was clear. He still didn't know whether this was a dream or reality, but either way, tonight, when Mime Matt was sleeping, he intended to see whether Matt Smith of San Diego could wake up.


	7. Broken Spirits - NinjaPastry

"You don't exactly have a choice, now do ya?" Rabbit asked as she stood over Hatchy's crouched body. He played with a broken little giraffe, oil dripping down his face. "You ran into me, so I gets to runs into you!"

"But you crushed Sammy!" he yelled, a crack in his voice expressing his sadness. The broken bits of blue and orange metal now lay in his gloves as he turned his head around and glared at the girl. "You crushed him and now I have to go get another one!"

"Well, I didn't mean-mean to!" she yelled back.

"Yes you did! I'm telling Leo!"

Rabbit didn't say anything more as Hatchworth stood and ran off, steam coming from his pipe upon his head. She huffed, slowly turned around, and then was face-to-face with a very mad-looking The Spine. He had just come from Peter's office and heard the yelling down the next hallway.

"Rabbit," he steamed, "Everyone has high nerves today and I'd rather you not cause another sibling to go into defensive stasis mode - again - because Peter just wants everyone to be happy until we can find the humans again.

She blinked and brushed past him, but he caught her arm and yanked her back. "And no going to Janelle's room. Got it?"

"Everyone's bossin' me around! Jeesh! Leave me alone, Sp-spine!" she shrieked, running off after he let her slip from his grip. "Oh," she stopped, "And I'm sooo gonna make Janelle go into stasis. She deserves to. She killed Matt and Mike, anyhow."

"Rabbit don't you dare!" he yelled as she sped off. He stopped running after her after a while, loosing her in the twisting hallways. A few screams and a couple of blips of the wi-fi later, Janelle went offline and Spine sighed, looking behind him to see someone standing there.

It wasn't an actual person, but more of the shadow of one. Taller than Spine, a strong and slim build, baggy shirt and shorts, so it seemed... Michael? Before Spine could think anything more, it left, leaving Spine staring down Leo as he walked down the hallway.

"Yep," was all the boy said as he passed the automaton, and that was all he needed to know.

=

The car. It sat in the back of the manor's driveway, crushed and totaled. Steve couldn't make himself, even if he tried, to look at the blood still stained in the seats and on the dash. Crushed. Broken. Everything hurt to look, so he didn't. He walked right past it to his own car, jumping into the Jeep and starting it up. With Lil' Steve tucked into his belt loop, Steve pulled from the back of the manor and drove down the driveway.

"On my way, Mr. Walter," he said over the comm systems to his boss. Peter said nothing back, for he was busy with trying to get his daughter to wake up from temporary stasis. That or putting Rabbit into forced shut-down until further notice. Sometimes he's had to do that just so she'd stop being annoying, horrid, or upset.

He drove down the way and into the street, taking his thoughts along with him. What if he crashed? What if someone got hurt? Everything was going through his mind, but he brushed it off and drove to the airport as fast he could to pick up the doctor and what seemed to be Michael.

Beside him lay the plans in large cardboard tubes for what he would show the doctor. They were what Peter and Leo were working on, the plans for where Michael was headed and why they were searching for Matt. They were building blueprints for robotic shells, each made to look like the humans, but in robot form. Only thing was, they had no ideas of when they could get everything was going.

Since Rabbit was acting up, everything was put into standstills and Steve, if he was allowed, would be glad to get his hands on whatever way he could get her to stop, including locking her in the vault Hatchworth was in for the past fifty something years. He would even be glad to push all of them in there and hope for the best, but everyone seemed to like them, sadly.


	8. Serious Feels - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do ya feel it, Mr. Krabs?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This one looks long but reads fast since it's mostly conversation. I couldn't resist playing out a couple of things. I tossed in one little idea at the end, I hope it doesn't derail anything. I should be getting back to Matt next time)

Lil Steve wriggled. "Ow! Hey, meatbag! Your belt is crushing me!"

Steve sighed, yanked the doll out and plopped him onto the cardboard tubes. "Better?"

"Yeah, except that you dislocated my solar plexus! Hey, your belt has squished my manly abs!"

"Manly abs?" Steve snorted. "You're a doll."

"Golem, thank you very much. I looked it up. I'm totally a golem."

"Well, you don't have manly abs."

"You kidding? Lookit this! Body by Jake!"

"Right. More like 'Body by Pillsbury.'"

"You wanna step outside?"

"Oh, you want me to toss you out the window?"

"No. No, I do not." Lil Steve slid down the cardboard tube he was on and settled in. "So what are we doing?"

"Picking up a scientist and a robot."

"Why? Don't we have enough of those?"

"They're..." Lil Steve really didn't need to know that much, he decided. "They're visiting. The robot is a fan."

"Hoo boy, that's all we need. Mechanical fangirls. Hide The Spine, they all want his pants."

Steve laughed. "They what?"

"They want his pants. That's all they talk about on Tumblr."

"His pants?"

"His legs and his butt. And this one time..."

"Yeah, okay, I remember that one, thanks." Steve said hastily. But he had to smile. Lil Steve talked a lot, but in the end he was very naive. "Well, he does have a good tailor."

"Yeah... Can I drive?"

"What?"

"I'm definitely an excellent driver."

"Stop quoting movies at me. I'm not that easy."

"But I can! I can drive! I drove Rabbit's RC for a whole hour before the battery ran down!"

"Rabbit was driving it, Lil Steve. She just stuffed you into it."

"Lies!"

"You were screaming the whole time! You kept saying she was the devil!"

"Bull! You're just jealous of my driving skills!"

"You mean your panicking skills, dummy."

Lil Steve gasped. Oops... Steve had forgotten that "dummy" was extremely offensive to golems...

"Sorry..."

"You racist pig..."

"Look, I didn't mean..."

"Oh, no. No. Now I'm mad. I'm not talking to you."

"Okay."

"Don't even start trying to get me to talk because when I'm mad, I'm mad."

"Understood." He clicked on his turn signal.

"Some people have no self control, 'cause they're all like, 'I'mmadI'mtotallyleavingtheboard' and I'm I'm all, 'U-G-L-Y you ain't got no alibi You ugly, yeah, yeah, you ugly!'"

"Right." He opened his window.

"You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married, and you ask me to do murder, for money."

Steve pressed a button and pulled a parking stub. A gate lifted and he drove forward. "What?"

"You SUCK! I wouldn't talk to you right now if you gave me a nest made of kittens!"

"I deserve it. I understand."

"Dang right! I wouldn't talk to you now if you offered me a whole suit of armor just my size and a tiny portal gun!"

He pulled into a parking space. "Wow, that's..."

"No, seriously, I would totally talk to you if you gave me those things."

"We're here..."

"Want them soooo muuuuuch..."

"Lil Steve! Time to play doll."

"Oh, right."

Lil Steve went boneless and Steve tucked him back into his belt. He heard a tiny grunt but other than that, the golem played his part until they got to the x-ray station, where he caused a delay by doing kung fu moves while under the scanner. But eventually he was passed as being nothing but yarn and stuffing and Steve hurried to the baggage claim area.

As he approached, he saw two women... one a short but shapely blonde in a sunhat and the other and older woman sitting perched on an upended suitcase. The blonde tapped the older woman on the shoulder and she looked up, smiled, and waved a plump hand toward him.

"Coooee!" she called.

"I'm in love," Steve murmured.

"Ain't she a little old for ya?"

"There's different kinds of love, Lil Steve. She's a cuddly British mum, she's Mrs. Weasley with blonde hair! Look at her... I bet she offers us tea later. With biscuits."

"You think she's got any jammy dodgers?"

"I bet she carries a packet wherever she goes, and if not I'll head to World Market and buy her some." He giggled. "Maybe this kind of science will rub off on Peter..."

He grinned and strode toward them.

\----------

Emmeline was bored. Her human disguise was awkward and she had to be careful not to dislodge it. She liked the hat, it had flowers on and was feminine and human. But the hair kept getting in her face.

"Your turn," said Michael.

"Willow."

"Wombat."

"Turkey."

"Yeti."

"Igloo."

"Obnoxious."

"You've used that one. Three times."

"Sorry."

"Oh, there he is!" she said aloud. "Mum!" She tapped Dr. Lennox on the shoulder.

"Coooee!" cried the scientist.

"Eauww, mum, that sounds so common!"

"Don't be a snob, love. Oh, isn't he darling! He's got that little poppet in his belt... that's just precious..."

"Want to adopt him, mum?" Emmeline teased.

"Oh, give over..." She stood to meet him.

Michael groaned. "She's calling Steve darling!" he giggled.

"Odd, isn't it?" Emmeline thought.

"No, I like her," Michael responded. "She's a sweet lady."

"Yeah... You like sweet ladies?"

"Naturally. They're sweet."

"Oh. You... like any others, maybe?"

"I dunno... Annie's nice."

"Annie? Oh, Annie Walter... Right. I meant more like, girls, like. Do you like sweet girls?"

"What, like kids?"

"Not quite..."

"Kids are great! This one lady let me hold her baby..."

Emmeline groaned aloud in exasperation as Steve arrived. He leaned away slightly. "Sorry I took so long but..."

"Oh, no, it was just nice to be out of the plane, love," Dr. Lennox crooned, reaching up to pat his cheek. He grinned like a child.

"Holy crap, how'd she get him to grin like that?" laughed Michael.

"That's what I want to know," Emmeline muttered as she and Steve gathered the bags and started toward the exit.

\----------

Rabbit stalked out of the Manor. Everyone was mad at her. She was mad at them right back.

She was also mad at herself.

It wasn't easy laughing off a string of deaths. She'd spent enough time over the years weeping over them and she'd decided that was for suckers. She was going to move on. She wasn't going to feel it this time.

But good lord, it hurt.

She wiped oily tears carelessly on her gloves as she hurried to the duckpond. Need to be alone for a while... by myself... nothing wrong with taking a little time to cry over it... long as no one is looking...

But as she arrived at Colonel Walter's grave, the pain finally tore from her in one great sob. Before she could muffle it or swallow it or turn away, she realized, to her shock, that she wasn't alone after all.

The Spine sat on the curly sculpture, staring down at the headstone, sighing. At the sound of her sobbing, he looked up. Rabbit froze like her namesake, he face contorted with agony, her shoulders shaking as the sobs continued to pour forth.

"I..." sob. "...thought you was b-b-back in the..." sob! "...house..."

"Rabbit... what... Oh." He smiled sadly and looked down for a moment. Looking up again, he said, "It's about time, dummins."

"Spiiine... wh-wh-why do they h-h-hafta d-d-die?" she wailed.

"C'mere..." he said, standing.

She stepped forward into a crushing Spine hug and shuddered with misery.

"I don't know why, Rabbit," he responded, and his voice broke slightly as he added, "But I miss them too."

"It's worse than that!" she howled. "It's Peter... and Guy... I still hear them sometimes..."

"What?"

"Just like M-Mike... l-l-l-like I'm carrying 'em around with me... but it d-don't make me feel b-b-b-better like they're still here... it just feels awful..."

"Oh, Rabbit. Is that why you've been acting up?"

She nodded against his shoulder. "I killed them..."

"No..."

"I did! And Jingle..."

"Reminds you of yourself? Yeah, that's hard..."

They stood that way for a long while, until Rabbit's sobs had faded to an occasional vocal spasm that sounded suspiciously like hiccups.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't, Rabbit."

"No, I'm sorry I took it out on Jingle."

"Tell her, alright?"

She nodded.

"I do get it, though... what it feels like to see someone else repeating the things you most regret."

"You understand?"

"Every time Hatchworth gets something wrong it drives me crazy because I remember being like that years ago."

She snorted. "Dummins."

He pushed her away gently and grinned. "Yeah. Look, it wasn't your fault. We've told you that a thousand times now."

"Four thousand, six hundred and one."

"Right. And she didn't kill them either, got it?"

"I know." Rabbit sighed. "I guess I never really figured she did it... But I'd just come out of stasis when we got the news, and then she screamed, and... and it was j-j-just like being back there all over again and..." Her vocal assembly stopped suddenly. She coughed.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Got a little goopy with oil there..." She shrugged, willing herself to be okay. She didn't want to cry anymore.

"Right." He smiled and sat on the sculpture once more. Rabbit sank down beside him, perching on the edge with her knees pulled up to her chin.

"You're not the only one breaking down, either..." he said after a few minutes. "Well, you know what I mean. Carolina mentioned Pappy today and I almost started sobbing like..."

"Like me?"

He smiled down at his shoes. "Yes."

She snorted. He always smiled down at his feet when he was bottling up his feels. She'd learned that one long ago. Your turn, big guy... "Hey, don't hold it back, little bro, you don't have to be Philip Marlowe just because you're sportin' a Fedora. N-N-Nothing wrong with a little cry, right?"

"No, I guess not," he murmured, as the first oily tears slipped silently down his cheeks. She scooted closer and put her arm around him.

They just sat after that, looking at the stones and talking, and trying not to stray back to the one thing weighing heaviest on them both... that it would be nice if there weren't quite so many stones to look at.


	9. Mach to Be Mocked - NinjaPastry

As her green eyes beamed around the dark room, her hands gracing over the sheets on her mattress of a bed she owned, she looked to the chair beside the bed and saw a figure sitting there. There was a soft blue glow coming from the figure's face, a sigh of relief coming from the young robot's body. "Pappy," she sighed, "I am so glad to see you!"  
  
"Yes, honey," he said in a monotone voice, "I know you are. I just wanted to make sure you woke up alright. I made it seem dark so your sensors would wake you up just in time to stop your mid-stasis nightmares. Leo will look after you, but he is working, so don't be a distraction, alright?"  
  
All she heard was "Alright, nightmares, Leo, working," giving her the sense he was leaving to the basement for an hour or so until Steve returned. She sat up and, with a little help from her 'father', stood. He kissed her cheek and turned to walk out, but she spoke up before he could leave her alone.  
  
"Pappy?" she asked, "Do you love me? And Matt?"  
  
He turned around, and if she could see his face she would be able to see the worry on it. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean what I said. Do you love me and Matt?"  
  
He hesitated, then walked over to her. "Well, of course I do. You are my creation, my daughter, and Matt is always going to be my son, so to say."  
  
"But Rabbit said you did not."  
  
"Don't listen to her when she's upset, Jingle," he sighed. "You know that. I'm going to go back to work, but you and Leo have fun, alright?"  
  
"Who do I got to then if I want to know things?"  
  
"Spine, of course."  
  
"What if they concern him?"  
  
"Then Hatchworth."   
  
"But I do not want him to-"  
  
"What do you want to ask me?"  
  
"I..." she drifted off and looked to the doorway, seeing Jon. "I may or may not have driven Michael into a sort of anger and sadness. I left him, Pappy. I left him and he is..."  
  
Jon sighed, turning away from when Peter pulled her into an embrace and held her as she cried into him. As Jon walked down the Hall, Spine walked behind a very sulky Rabbit. Spine's hand was on Rabbit's shoulder, as if he was escorting a drunk out of a pub at three in the morning after he spilled a drink down a pretty girl's dress.  
  
"She's cryin' into Pete," Jon reported. "She thinks she killed 'em." They all exchanged worried, miscoloured glances and Rabbit hung her head.   
  
"I've got i-it." She swung her shoulder from Spine's grip and walked forward, then turned into Jingle's room. Peter kissed (which to clear is just putting the mask to her face and hoping she got the message or feeling of a kiss) Jingle's forehead and jumped a little at the sound of Rabbit rapping on the wood of the doorway.  
  
"Um, Janelle?" she started, "I'm sorry. Like, I-I-I'm so sorryididn'twantnayofthistohappenimsosorry!" she yelled, breaking down into tears once more. Peter held out hi arm and collected the girls into a tight hug, rubbing Rabbit's back and looking to Jon and Spine who stood and watched.  
  
"Girls, I have to work. Please collect yourselves and Rabbit, if you'd be so kind as to take your little sister to Leo's office, that'd be wonderful."  
  
Rabbit nodded as the hug ended, taking Jingle's hand and leading her out. Peter looked to the boys and huffed, shaking his head. "Women."  
  
=  
  
Carolina looked to her phone, then slipped it down her shirt and looked up as Leo walked into his office. She jumped off from sitting on his desk and smiled, grabbing her clipboard and hugging it to her chest. "Sir, Steve is returning with the scientist and her creation. He says that they have Michael."  
  
"And I may be able to find Matt," he smiled. "Oh Carolina, I'm so happy I could kiss you!" he shouted, running to his seat at his desk. She blushed bright blue and looked to her shoes, grinning.   
  
"Oh please do," she mumbled. Leo didn't hear her remark and opened his drawer to grab his laptop, setting it on the desk and scrolling through his notes. He copy and pasted a link and set it into the online radio station he listened to, then looked to her as he turned on the volume.   
  
"God, these people are weird," someone said. Sounded familiar... too familiar... "At least he's me, right? I mean, he's me with a white face and a black outfit, but he's me. I think."  
  
"I found his thoughts through the spirit portals," Leo beamed.  
  
"You and your ghosts," she smirked, walking around the desk and leaning over to look at the screen.   
  
"If mom could see this she'd beat more than one of us," he laughed. "Jan would hate this place and all the silence. She would hate everyone not talking to her."  
  
Leo grabbed a pen and handed it to her which she then began writing everything down.  
  
"Bloop bloop bloop.... uggg I'm so bored! All he does is walk around and drum on things like- oh wait, I do that at home and at the manor. Never mind."  
  
"I think I got everything I need to find him. Lemme know if the 'spirits' say anything about finding him themselves." She patted his shoulder and smiled as Leo plugged in his headphones and Rabbit brought in Jingle. She sat at the chair in front of the desk and Carolina sat beside her, scribbling across her clipboard.   
  
"Miss Rabbit," Leo nodded. "Thank you for bringing her in here." Rabbit nodded and walked away, leaving the three there to wait out Steve and his newly found love.


	10. A Very Tiny Bit of Science - Whistler

Matt the mime was ordering a drink. Matt the human peered at it, wondering what weird concoction mimes drank. Maybe their food was invisible too... but to his relief, it looked like he'd just ordered a Coke.

A Coke... Why did that worry him? It was just another sign that Matt Smith was Matt Smith in any dimension...

Then the mime took a sip. The taste hit his tongue and Matt could taste it, too... It tasted like Coke, yes... and blood. He could taste blood!

He gagged as memories slammed into him with the force of a car hitting a dividing wall.

"Mike, look out!" A scream... he realized he was the one screaming... The world blew apart, or did it just look that way because... Trembling, trying to look around... "Mike? Mike! No... No!" A sharp pain on the inside of his head and the world switched off like an old TV.

The mime began to cough violently as Matt attempted to retch and sob at the same time.

"Matt!" cried a familiar voice.

"What's happening to him?" Also familiar...

Janelle? Carolina?

"Hello?" he gasped.

"Matt? Can you hear me?"

"Carolina! Help Mike... he's..."

"Matt, what just happened?" asked a man's voice.

"Who are you?" he responded hysterically.

"Calm down, Matt..." That was Janelle again.

"Janelle!" he quavered. "I'm so glad to hear your voice..."

"What just happened, Matt? Quickly."

"Um... this mime guy... I'm in a mime, Janelle. I'm a mime! I don't know how I got here, I think there was an accident and..."

"What just happened?" barked the man's voice.

"He took a sip of Coke and I freaked out, alright! Who are you anyway?"

"Coke? Was there Coke in the car during the collision?"

"The what?" cried Matt, alarmed. It was true?

"The paramedics said there was Coke all over Matt's clothing..." Carolina said, her voice fading.

Paramedics?

"Hey! You're fading out!" Silence. "Hey!"

Matt focused once again on the bar around him, in time to see the glass of Coke ascending toward the mime's mouth yet again.

Oh, no...

This time the mime took a large mouthful. He managed to swallow a little before gagging. The rest blew violently back out out of his mouth and onto the bar. Mimes scattered in all directions.

Just as stubborn as I am, thought Matt, as he saw and tasted blood again. The voices flooded back almost instantly.

"...Fitted the car with Blue Matter. Certain ingredients in Coke react with Blue Matter..."

"You've got to be kidding me..."

"Miss Carolina?"

"I know you're brilliant and all but, how in the world... Coke? A lot of people in the Manor drink Coke, Leo."

"Not while dying..."

Janelle sobbed. Matt decided he'd heard enough.

"Get me out of here!" he cried.

"Matt! Did he drink more?"

"Well, yeah, a little, before he ralphed it all over the bar! What's happened to me, Janelle?"

"Oh, Matt..." she wept.

"Get her out of here, Carolina."

"But..."

"For her sake, alright?"

"What?" cried Matt, panicking. "Wait! No! Janelle! Carolina! Someone get me out of here! This isn't right!"

"Matt!" the man's voice ordered.

"What?" he shrieked back, feeling the craziest urge to salute. The man's commanding tone was strangely calming, shocking him out of his panic attack.

"I need you to get the mime to drink a Coke tomorrow at 10 am. Do you hear me? Repeat it back to me. Time is short."

"He needs to drink a Coke at 10 am. Why?"

"It's reactive with the Blue Matter from the containment unit that ruptured over you during the..."

"It'll help us get you back, Matt," interrupted Carolina quickly. "It's got some weird ingredients that will help us connect to your location, apparently. I always suspected there was something not right about Coke..."

"But I'm not in charge of the body!" Matt argued.

"Well, time to get to work taking over then," said the man.

"He'll probably still be asleep."

"Perfect! It'll make that much easier for you to..."

"Steal his body?"

"It's not like that, Matt!" said Janelle soothingly. Apparently she hadn't left when ordered to go. Nothing new there.

"No, that's cool. I was planning to try that anyway. Alright, I'll give it a shot."

"Good man!" the man's voice cried approvingly. He heard Carolina snicker. Nothing phazed her...

"Hey, before this connection fades out, tell me... Is Mike, y'know... dead?"

There was silence. "Hello?" he cried, alarmed.

"We're here," Carolina said quietly. "Yes, Matt. Mike's dead."

"Then... am I dead?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry..."

"You're sorry..." I didn't even let him drink the beer... "But if I'm dead..."

"Look, it's a long story, okay?"

"Uh-huh. Well, then... Is Mike in someone's head now, too?"

"Kind of..."

"So he's only mostly dead?"

"You're taking this well."

"Maybe it sounds that way..." He sighed, he wasn't sure how, but he sighed. "I just have to take over a mime and get pulled back to be dead there instead of wherever I am..."

"Matt," she sighed.

Janelle said, "Matt! You can do it, alright? I'll see you soon... I love you!"

"I love you, too, Janelle... alright... hey, if I don't get back, though..."

"Shut up!"

"No, listen... You're starting to fade. If I don't get back..."

"Yeah?" she answered pitifully.

"Kick Peter's butt because I know this has something to do with him!"

He heard a surprised splutter of laughter as the connection faded out and he was left watching the mime in the bar mirror as he helped wipe the counter and gave the bartender a large tip before walking away with a glass of ice water.

He just hoped the guy already owned a can of Coke because there would be no getting him to buy one now. And Matt had no idea how to speak mime.

\----------

"Are we near Disneyland?"

"Well, we're a lot closer than you used to be, but no, it's still a couple of hours north of here."

Emmeline stared at the passing buildings. "What about Hollywood?"

"Also a couple of hours north."

"Oh. The Queen Mary?"

"North. In Orange County."

"How about the La Brea Tar Pits?"

"Do stop fussing Steve, love," said Dr. Lennox absently as she pored over the plans he had brought. "These are quite good, but I'm not sure I consider them to be quite ethical, not to mention moral..."

"Moral?" he asked pleasantly. He was enjoying her accent and wanted to keep her talking.

"Well, yes... creating false robotic bodies without so much as a by-your-leave... It just doesn't seem right."

"To tell you the truth, Dr. Lennox, I'm a little creeped out by the whole thing. But here we are."

"If all of those things are north of here, then what's actually here?" interrupted Emmeline loudly.

"Beaches, great food, great music, great people, Balboa Park, and this," he replied, turning into the driveway of Walter Manor.

"Oh..." said Dr. Lennox and Emmeline as one.

They pulled to a stop and Steve beeped the horn. The Spine came out almost immediately and stopped short as they got out of the car.

"I beg your pardon," he said. "I had thought... Wasn't Miss Emmeline supposed to be an automaton?"

"Emmeline had to look like a girl to travel in coach with me, love. The airline people knew what she was but they asked whether there was a way to make her less conspicuous to the other passengers," said Dr. Lennox, wriggling out of the car with her arms full of tubes and papers. Several slipped to the ground and The Spine went quickly to her aid, helping her stuff them into her large handbag.

He turned back to the car. "Miss Emmeline?" he said, peering in through the closed window.

Steve looked in through the other side. Emmeline wasn't moving. He opened her door and stuck his head in.

"Hey! You in stasis or something?"

"It's The Spine!" she squeaked. "Oh, hush, Michael."

"That still weirds me out," said Steve. "Alright, so it's The Spine."

The Spine wiggled his fingers at her and smiled politely, then went to the back to pull out the luggage.

"Oh, he's ever so handsome..."

"Great googly moogly..." Steve stood and added loudly, "Come on out, Miss Emmeline. He's mostly harmless."

The Spine, lifting all the suitcases at once in a tall stack, looked at him askance but said nothing.

"Oh, look at that..." Emmeline breathed as she carefully climbed from the car. "Isn't he a marvel!"

"Pshht. You could do that, right?"

"Yeah..." she said absently. "Yes, Michael, I know he prefers human girls, I do have a Tumblr..."

Steve snorted with laughter. "That's The Spine, alright, Mike..." His laughter faded. It had just hit him full force. All this time coming from the airport, Michael Reed had been in the car with him!

"Mike... Emmeline, is he okay in there? Y'know, is he scared or depressed or anything?"

"He's fine... keeps making jokes about the lot of you." She smiled, and the results on her human skin were really very nice. He smiled back automatically.

"Well... good. Laughter's healthy... um... Come on, the two of you. Let's see about getting Mike back to Peter."

"Oh, Michael, that isn't nice!" Emmeline said a moment later. "Besides, you can't punch his face and you're not using my fist."

"Mike, dang it! Give him a chance to explain, alright? He's trying to help."

"He says he'll try," she said apprehensively. "He's not scared or depressed, actually... but he's really very angry."

"Huh. Not something I saw a lot of, angry Michael Reed." He chuckled. "To tell you the truth, I really picture him sitting at Woodstock shirtless, sporting love beads and playing guitar and handing out daisies and telling people he loves them."

"Oh... yeah... that is quite a picture..." Emmeline stared into space, smiling.

"Emmeline?"

"Come along, you two! I must talk to Mr. Walter junior about all this." Dr. Lennox bustled... yes, Steve decided, bemused, that was what bustling looked like, he'd always wondered... after The Spine, who was strolling easily inside despite the weight of the heavy cases.

"Well, you heard her," he said pleasantly, moving to follow.

"Hm? Alright." She trailed along behind.

But a moment later he heard her say softly, "Oh, you never! I was not! And if I was, at least you had trousers on!"

"My, my, my..." he murmured.

"Randy lil soda can, ain't she?" asked Lil Steve.

Steve clapped his hand over the doll's mouth and hurried inside.


	11. A Brief Welcome and Matt's in Trouble... - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where we run out of chapter titles. Brief summaries from now on.

Little crochet paws for hands pitter-pattered against Steve's belt as he walked. Lil' Steve kept busy with glaring up to Dr. Lennox and then to the little one.  
  
"I think I'll call her Emmy," he whispered up to Steve. Spine, walking ahead of them, turned a corner. The little train followed behind, even as he turned another corner and into a large bedroom with pictures of the robots on the walls over the seven beds lining the walls. One wall had two, the back wall with the windows three, and then the next wall the last two.  
  
"This is where you will be staying, Doctor. Miss Emmeline, you are welcome to any of the rooms upon the first- I mean, ground floor and first floor. Dr. Lennox," he said as he set down the suitcases, "You are welcome anywhere. Peter will be here soon, so make yourselves at home."  
  
Emmeline smiled and looked to Dr. Lennox who smiled back. Spine tipped his fedora bill and walked out as Steve stepped over to the bed with The Jon's head-shot above it. Emmeline scrambled to her bed, taking the one with the picture of the pink-faced girl with short hair. She then stared off into the distance, laughing every so often as Dr. Lennox sat upon the bed of her choosing.  
  
It was the bed with blue sheets and a picture of a silver robot that looked like The Spine, but a female. Her eyes were teal instead of blue or green like the others, and she wore a black dress with metal reinforcements.  
  
"No, Michael," Emmeline cooed. Then she went silent again. Steve looked to the little girl and then smiled at Dr. Lennox, feeling his heart leap.  
  
"Mr. Negrete," she said, "Tell me more about the robots lining the walls, please. They seem interesting."  
  
"Well, you've already met The Spine," he said, pointing to the silver man over the bed next to the doctor. "He was built second, right after Rabbit. He spends most of his time walking around or in his room he shares with the youngest 'bot. He's really nice, but he can be a real mook sometimes."  
  
Emmy laughed, Steve suspecting it was just from Michael saying something or other.  
  
"That one's a real old picture of Rabbit, before she became a she." He pointed to the bed beside him, the picture one from an old concert at Balboa Park when they were starting to busk to train themselves. "She was first and earned her name from ramblin' off about a rabbit she saw when she was first made. She hasn't gotten any less annoying at times. Matured, but still annoying."  
  
He watched as Dr. Lennox looked to the picture that Steve was pointing at and the smile cross her face. "She seems sweet, and with a smile like that I'd be polished to meet her!"  
  
"Hopefully soon," he smiled back. "Um... The one hat's behind me is The Jon. And yes, The Jon like the toilet. Don't ask." He paused and let her laugh, laughing along a bit himself. "He was built the third of them and didn't have a name for the longest time. He's a mayor of a town in a different dimension, so he leaves from time to time for moths to take care of his town."  
  
"And how do you know all of this?" Dr. Lennox inquired.  
  
"I do tours for Walter Workers-to-be," he gushed.  
  
"Ah," she sighed, "I see. Well then love, go on."  
  
"Love- oh uh yeah um... Number four upon the list is Miss UpGrade, named only because she hasn't had an upgrade since the 80's, but actually recently got one that all the robots were required to get."  
  
"And what may that be?"  
  
"Sensors. Touch and feel sensors. Some nasty a- um... Nasty things went down after everything went into the clear. No need to ask. You can let that sit a while." He laughed and she did as well, Emmy whispering things as she grabbed her bag and started to unpack her clothes into the small dresser between her bed and the empty bed beside it.  
  
"Anyways, um, number five is Hatchworth," he said, pointing to a bed in the corner. "He's got a space and time rift in his stomach that mysteriously makes sammiches, so he's always got a hatch's worth of 'em, hence the name. He was locked away for 50 or so years because his matter was leaking and making people sick."  
  
Steve didn't notice, but Dr. Lennox saw that Mr. Walter had started to lean upon the second door entry, listening in onto Steve's information.  
  
"The girl with the pink swirls on her face is the youngest one who, and stay with me here, used to be a human, was murdered by the Beciles, made into a robot, and now her brother from human is dead and is going to be made into robot. Got it? Okay."  
  
Dr. Lennox laughed aloud, looking at Steve with a bright smile and a cheery laugh. "Oh what a family you've got here! But," she stopped, "who's the young lady with the teal eyes?"  
  
"That is a robot we don't talk about here," Peter interrupted. "She's not allowed in the manor, but Spine insists on keeping her picture upon the wall."  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
"I said we don't talk about her. What we do talk about is Michael, which I am now ready to take from your creation's mind and input it onto the computers and hard-drives in my office." Emmy shot up and looked to Peter, then to Dr. Lennox. She stood and walked to the young girl, pushing her on gently towards the man in the wooden mask.  
  
"Ma'am, I will ask you once and very kindly now to power off the young girl so this won't hurt her," he said calmly, taking the child'; hands in his. Emmy wanted to pull her hands away, despite Michael's comforting words to let him hold them.  
  
"What's going to hurt? Why are you going to hurt her?"  
  
"I won't if she's in stasis. Please, ma'am," he replied. She looked to her creation, then to the man. With a quick movement, Emmy stood still and then fell into Peter. He caught her and picked her up bridal style, nodding to Dr. Lennox.  
  
"You can stay here, if you'd like. Michael will be out of her soon, okay?" Peter asked. She nodded, sitting back upon the bed as he left with the girl in his arms.  
  
"Need any help unpacking?" Steve asked.  
  
=  
  
Okay, Matt thought, move. Move? But how? Mime Matt was sitting on a bench in the park, tapping out a beat upon the metal, making a light sound as Ghost Matt sat beside him. The beat sounded familiar, like a song he'd been playing with the robots for so long. Brass Goggles?  
  
Nevertheless, Matt continued to play out the beat, even as some mimes came over and started to harass him, it seemed. They were moving their hands as if to scold him, but he kept on playing the song. Then a punch was thrown, hitting Matt the mime's face hard.  
  
"Hey!" Ghost Matt cried, feeling everything start to hurt in his body. He felt his chest tighten and his head bash against something hard. He felt glass pierce through his skin and the burning of the cola in his wounds.  
  
He fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Meanwhile Leo was sitting down in his seat after taking Janelle to her pappy to talk to Michael. He suddenly jumped, hearing the screams and stood, seeing Matt's flickering 'hologram' as Leo called it.  
  
"Mr. Smith?!" he asked as Matt stopped to gasp and curl onto his side. "Can you hear me?" Matt didn't reply, even as Matter Mistress Bunny peered in with an awe-struck look upon her face. Leo jumped over the desk and snatched his laptop from the corner of the desk, turning on the radio again.  
  
"Can you hear me, Mr. Smith?" he asked. Matt replied with another cry of pain, then faded out, the radio going back to the M*A*S*H* Radio marathon it was usually on.  
  
"Leo, what was that all about?" Bunny asked. Leo let out a sigh and stood, taking his laptop with him. "You were saying-"  
  
"Nothing. Not your concern, madam. Please tell Mr. Walter to make sure Janelle doesn't interfere with the radio waves any time soon." Bunny saluted, as a joke, and walked out.


	12. Mike's Worries, Robot Questions, and Matt's a Mess - Whistler

"Peter?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Or should I just call you Frankenstein?"  
  
Peter's hands dropped to the desk as he looked up at the ceiling, frustrated. "There's no need to be rude..."  
  
"You haven't answered my questions."  
  
Peter sighed shortly. "I'm working on something kind of important. You want out of there, don't you?"  
  
"What have you done to Emmy? Shouldn't she be powered on by now?"  
  
"There was a slight, very slight upload error..." the scientist muttered, glancing guiltily toward the automaton where she lay in her human disguise, looking for all the world like a time stuck hippie with a wire jammed into her head. He worked with robots daily, but this gave him the willies. "Dr. Lennox is on her way to do a diagnostic."  
  
"She's gonna kill you if anything happens to Emmeline, Pete. That girl is like her daughter!"  
  
"Girl?"  
  
"And if she doesn't, you'd better put me into something harmless because if you don't, I swear I'll snap you in half."  
  
"Okay, seriously? She's going to be fine! What happened to the sweet-faced pacifist Michael Reed, anyway?"  
  
"You expect me to go through all this and not have a couple of mood swings?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Back to my other question... How did I end up in a radio console in England, Peter?"  
  
"Sh."  
  
"I'm dead. I am dead. I died. Shouldn't I be... I dunno, moving toward the light or something?"  
  
"Look, remember what we did with Janelle..."  
  
Mike sighed. "Yeah, I know. I guess it just feels different from this side. It feels... like I'm a component rather than a man. I'm an ingredient."  
  
"Mm-hm... Look, I really need to get back to..."  
  
SLAM! Carolina brought down her clipboard hard on the metal desk she was using. Peter jumped so hard he nearly fell out of his chair.  
  
"Do you freakin' mind?" he barked. Why did everyone keep scaring him?  
  
"Ow..." Mike said, his voice reverberating through the speakers of the little tablet computer where he was stored. "What happened? Someone hit you in the face with a metal baseball bat?"  
  
"Don't give her any ideas..." Peter muttered, attempting to glare at Carolina. This had no effect due to his face not actually being visible.  
  
She leaned in close to his ear, away from the tablet. "Talk to him!" she hissed.   
  
"I am talking to him..." he faltered.  
  
"You know what I mean. He is freaking out here! I've never heard him this scared!"  
  
"Scared?" he whispered. "He threatened to kill me!"  
  
She shook her head. "Scared. Talk to him, tell him what's going on, or I'll start thinking about killing you myself!"  
  
He snorted. She glared, jabbing a finger at the tablet. He had an ugly feeling that she would make good on her threat... or at least find a way to cause him severe pain.  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Alright, Mike. Story time."  
  
\----------  
  
"Mr. Negrete! What is the automaton like?"  
  
"Is she prettier than I am?"  
  
"Does she have an accent?"  
  
"How's Michael?"  
  
Steve stopped short, his way blocked by several Walter robots. "Hatchy! Upgrade... Rabbit... Jon. Mike's fine, Jon... well, all things considered."  
  
Jon nodded and looked down at his hands. Steve put a hand on his shoulder. "It's gonna be okay, Jon. Got it?" Jon nodded again and walked away.  
  
Steve sighed. "Alright, what else? Ah, yeah. Hatchy... She's nice. A little loud, but nice. Her creator, though... she's the best. I want her to adopt me."  
  
"But you are not an orphan, Mr. Negrete."  
  
"I can make time for both." He grinned. "Hey, Hatchy, do we have any jammy dodgers?"  
  
"Yes. Rabbit insists upon them even though she cannot eat."  
  
"I keep 'em for Doctor Who marathons..."  
  
"Ooh, I hope they're fresh. Alright, let's get 'em, we're burning tea time."  
  
"Tea time!" cried Rabbit. "Can I come?"  
  
"If you don't try to eat the tea service."  
  
"Alright..." Rabbit muttered glumly.  
  
They turned toward the kitchen. A shrill voice behind them barked, "Is she prettier than ME?"  
  
"Oh... Upgrade... Yeah, kinda."  
  
Upgrade began to howl. Rabbit snickered. Hatchworth raised a coppery eyebrow.   
  
"Cold, sir. No jammy dodgers for you."  
  
"Sorry, sorry!" Steve said hastily, trying not to laugh. "I don't know, Upgrade! She's in a human suit."  
  
Upgrade's tears stopped instantly. "She must be hiding something!" she said brightly. "Maybe a bad case of rust."  
  
"Who's cold now?" Steve asked with a lop-sided grin.   
  
"Her I expect it from," said Hatchworth.   
  
"Lil Steve has been a bad influence. Come on!"  
  
\----------  
  
He hurt. He hadn't hurt this much since... no, no, don't think about that... not ready to think about that.  
  
Matt groaned and started to open his eyes, but they seemed to be swollen shut. He heard a door open, the soft steps of rubber-soled feet.  
  
"Who's there?" he said, and heard glass shatter.  
  
The glass of the windshield shattered into little crumbs when they hit, the side windows, that stupid bottle of beer... all in tiny pieces, all with the same sound, playing part in a grisly, apocalyptic symphony composed of screams, screeching metal and the breaking of glass...  
  
Matt screamed. He couldn't help it. No more... no more pain... He screamed, and the pain in his head screamed back louder, silencing him, even as he heard at the edge of his panic the sound of running feet and the door softly latching.  
  
Where am I now?  
  
He gasped for air, trying to calm down, and realized he was breathing, he was controlling things... not the mime. Was he back in his body? Had it all been a horrible nightmare? He felt his hopes begin to rise despite the cynicism born of a year working in Walter Manor.  
  
There followed a flurry of activity, the door opening and closing, people checking his pulse. So he was in the hospital. It all would have served to confirm the theory that he hadn't died after all, were it not for one increasingly depressing fact...   
  
No one else said a single word. So he was still in the mime. The mime who had a voice. Which Matt had somehow managed to get control of...  
  
It began to drift back... the beating the mime had taken... Why had they beaten him up? Why had the stupid mime decided to hang out in the park at night anyway?  
  
But he remembered, through the pain and pandemonium, something from the night before he had nearly forgotten.  
  
"Um... excuse me? What time is it?"  
  
The activity stopped abruptly. He could feel rather than see them all looking at one another, wondering how to respond to the talking freak.  
  
Just then, he heard a clock outside chime the half hour. It was followed by several whispery sighs. Matt carefully counted the chimes.  
  
It was nine-thirty. He didn't know if it was night or morning. Still, it felt early.   
  
"Is there a chance that one of you might bring me a Coke?"


	13. Janelle Is Upset, and The Spine... whoa. I did not see that coming. - NinjaPastry

If Michael could sit, he would be sitting. If he could hug his knees he was doing so. All of these little thoughts of what he could be and would be doing he saw himself as such, sitting in a little black box with no light source lit enough to see the other side of the screen where Pete was looking into, he thought.  
  
By this point he was convinced Peter was lying half the time, but felt an odd sense of comfort based on his wording. It felt like the strange bringing of distress when a storm passes over but the radar said nothing of it being harmful.   
  
Halfway through the story, Michael heard someone walk in, but took a wild guess and just assumed it was Mistress Bunny or Master David or someone like that. However, he was wrong. When he heard Peter's tone of voice change ever so slightly, he lifted his head and saw the three matter Masters before him; Sam, David, and Steve all sat before him, but none would make Peter talk softer, more cautiously to an eruption of emotion.   
  
In Michael's little box where the three Matter Masters sat, they began to morph into the robots and then slide out of the way and disappear, Janelle left from their path. She sat across from him, her eyes flickering and oil running down the swirls of her face, just like how she was sitting across from her father.   
  
Peter saw his creation in her very upset state, taking in a deep breath and letting it out with a few hushed words to her Michael didn't pick up, but knew he was saying.  
  
"Darling, please go back to Leo's office. I'm just letting Michael know what's going on," he whispered, putting a hand onto hers. She recoiled, looking to the tablet and picking it up instead with such fluid motion and care, Peter swore she was just a human in robot make-up.   
  
She looked at the tablet, wiping her tears and then hugged it to her chest, Michael hearing the soft speed up of her engine and battery cooling-fans. "When can he come out from here, Pappy?"  
  
"I'll be out soon, Jan," Michael instead answered. As if she wasn't a wreck from hearing Matt's voice already, she was now. Clutching the iPad she let out a wail of pain in her engine (her equivalent to a matter core to a heart).  
  
"Michael!" she cried, "I miss you so much!"  
  
"I miss you, too," he said in reply. Peter heard the sadness in his voice. Michael stood from his seated position and hugged the imaginary figure of Janelle from across the little black box, sitting on the floor with her and letting her sit in his lap and cry into him as he held her.  
  
"Peter, if it's no problem to you, I'd rather she be here, stay with me."  
  
"Michael," Peter sighed, looking to his daughter. He saw how relieved she was to hear his voice, but let out a sigh instead of answering. In Michael's little black box he looked to Janelle, petting her long black hair with pink and red highlights, running his other hand up and down her side to try and calm her crying.  
  
"Please."  
  
Peter glared to his daughter and the senile iPad -if anyone could see- then looked to his paper work. All of Michael's build plans lay before him. "Darling," he said softly. Michael looked up to the screen as Janelle refused to move away from the iPad and in the black box, Michael, "Leave the room, please. Leave Mic- the tablet here and go back to Leo's office."  
  
"Pappy!" she cried out, jumping from her seat and clutching Michael tightly, "You can't make me!"  
  
"LEAVE!"  
  
Janelle stopped her crying, staring at him. He had never yelled at her like that before.He scolded her from time to time, but never yell. Even Michael was astounded, then started to panic as Janelle's figure he was holding onto in the black box started to glitch like a broken television screen and fade out.   
  
She slowly set the iPad down upon Peter's desk, clasping her hands to her chest as Michael protested,.He scrambled about the box in order to grab at her fading hands. "Jingle, no!" he shouted. "No come back, please! Please Jingle, come back!" he cried out. He fell to his knees and then onto his face, grabbing at the floor in tears.  
  
She spun around and walked out, Spine passing the other way and looking at Peter with a confused face as to what just happened. Peter waved his hand and Michael cried out for her some more, then stopped once Peter shut the iPad off.  
  
=  
  
"I thought you said they were waiting for me, Sir," Spine heard from behind him as he walked to his room. He quickly spun around to see no one there, panic striking him. That voice was all too familiar. He kept a ring in his pocket for a reason because of that voice...  
  
The memory of a colourful butterfly made of copper and brass fluttering around her as she smiled, her hands shaking slightly after so long. Her dress; slim, white, and plated with golden scraps of metal. Her face silver and glimmering in the light from the window of the tower as the other butterflies landed around them.  
  
The Spine remembered taking her hand in his and kissing the metal ever so gently, looking into her eyes. He wasn't wearing his fedora that day, but everyone else was at a show. It was his turn to not busk at Balboa, and he took this opportunity to confess his love to her, as she did to him.   
  
"Take this and keep it with you. Wear it on you for forever," he instructed, clasping a silver ring into her hand with golden engraved swirls and dots. She slid it upon her finger and smiled at him and he sure smiled back.   
  
"Take this and wear it to your person forever and on," she said in reply, her thick British accent making his heart fluttering. "Keep it with you, please," she said, putting a ring of black metal and golden engraved swirls into his hand. He slid it upon his own finger and they sat there and laughed the rest of the day until the storm clouds rolled in, forcing her to leave.   
  
That was one day of the year he saw her that year, a few other occasions devoted to just her. She deserved it, after all. The Spine snapped back to attention, smiling a little to hear her sweet and quite sexy voice. "Where are you?" he asked slowly, grinning by this point.  
  
"Who are these blokes?" was all she replied with. Spine looked behind him, all around him in fact, and saw no one. She was close enough to tap into his sound receptors, but no close enough to let him see whats he was seeing; a clever trick she learned from years of practice as being Death.  
  
"Hatchet, no," he yelled, running down the hall. He swiveled around a corner and saw her looking over Peter's shoulder, then to the child upon the table in stasis. Peter looked up from his work at The Spine, tilting his head a little.  
  
"Yes, Spine?"  
  
"Um," he started, "Leo says he needs you in his office. Jingle is acting up and I can't control her." Lie number one of the day. Peter abruptly stood and ran past Spine, Hatchet peering over the child, close to the table: a bit too close for The Spine's liking.  
  
"Don't! She'll wake up!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((sorry this was long, but details are my favorite things in the world))


	14. Steve's Crush, Matt's Dilemma - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Don't worry about running long... you see how much I run on each time, lol.)

"Carol!"  
  
"Oho, so now it's Carol..."  
  
"Shut it, Lil Steve," Steve muttered under his breath. Aloud, he said, "I got the jammy dodgersl"  
  
"Great!" cried Lil Steve. "Just arrange them in the shape of a throne..."  
  
"You get one, Lil Steve."  
  
"One?" the crochet doll spluttered, enraged.  
  
Dr. Lennox giggled, her ample figure bouncing with her amusement. Steve looked down, feeling decidedly conflicted. He'd thought of her as a motherly type at first glance, but he was starting to wonder just how old she really was. She was plump, but shapely... and he didn't see any gray hairs... He rubbed the back of his neck restlessly.  
  
"What a darling little man!" she chuckled.  
  
"Hm?" he squeaked, looking up rapidly. He cleared his throat and said in a deeper voice, "Hm?"   
  
She was looking at Lil Steve. Steve sighed silently, embarrassed. "Um... yeah. Adorable."  
  
"It's just that I always thought he was just a doll and you were carrying him around and doing the voice for him!"  
  
"Yeah, I get that a lot."  
  
"I find it offensive," Lil Steve commented, "Ah, but I can't stay mad at such a luscious slice of..."  
  
"Rabbit! I mean, Rabbit wants to join us for tea..."  
  
"Oh, but that would be lovely! I want to meet all the automatons. But I have a bit of a situation, love."  
  
Steve shivered.  
  
"Seems our Emmeline is not at all well. I have to go and jiggle the wiring about before that nice Mr. Walter starts thinking it's his fault."  
  
Rabbit, just walking in, snorted. "Petes? I don't know where to start... Which do you think is funnier, Steve? Him being nice or with him thinking it's his fault?"  
  
"Dirty traitor."  
  
"Hello, Peter," Steve said pleasantly, winking at Dr. Lennox.  
  
Rabbit turned suddenly and stood face to mask with Peter VI.   
  
"Oh, dear..." said Dr. Lennox.  
  
"Yeah, I am, ya jerk," Rabbit said calmly. "Ya done playing God or were ya gonna turn some water into wine?"   
  
Dr. Lennox gasped.  
  
"You thought she'd be embarrassed? I believe her embarrassment protocols burned out during the "boy band" phase and we never bothered to get them back online." Peter shrugged. "Probably just as well. Could you come now and fix your automaton? Before the guilt renders me incapable of functioning as I weep into my coffee?"  
  
She laughed and shoved him in the arm playfully, causing him to take a step backward as she trotted out into the hallway.  
  
"Ow..." he said softly.  
  
"You need to take walks or something, Pete. You're getting soft," Steve snickered.  
  
"She hits really hard..." Peter said defensively.  
  
"Come on, she's a big kitten..."  
  
"More like a lioness! She must do her own robot maintenance..."   
  
"You could take a lesson from that. Carolina could sit on your chest and gob on your mask without even trying that hard."  
  
"Pshht. She could not. Not everyone does Parkour and sword fighting and fire batons..."  
  
"Well, no but something to keep you fit. How about wrestling?"  
  
"Peter A Walter VI, scientist and wrestler. No. Can you see Dr. Lennox wrestling?"   
  
Unfortunately for Steve, that was exactly what he saw, in his mind's eye, all of a sudden. Whoa...  
  
Peter chuckled. "Come to think of it, I can... You two should wrestle, I think she could take you."  
  
Steve's amusement dried up instantly. He blushed down to his boots.  
  
"Oh, look, she's taking a wrong turn... I'll... uh... show her the way to the lab..."  
  
"Steve?"  
  
"Got it, don't put yourself out..."  
  
"Are you blushing?" Peter called after him, his voice full of laughter.  
  
Steve broke into a jog. "Carol! Wait! That's the way to the litter box room!"  
  
\----------  
  
"C-O-K-E... He ordered it last night, I know you have it here..." Matt groaned for the umpteenth time. The medical staff continued talking... as far as he could tell. He heard a lot of soft jingling and rustling and machines that went "ping!" and could only assume that was the sound of an animated mime conversation.  
  
It didn't help that ten o'clock had come and gone and he still had no way to make contact, assuming it still worked. He didn't know if the poor mime was going to regain control of his body anytime soon, but he figured if he could get the Coke, then Peter surely would give him some time... it was kind of important and Carolina at least would make sure he wasn't forgotten.   
  
He heard a creaking sound like the wheels of a cart. There was more rustling, the click of a keyboard, and a stentorian voice intoned, "What is your name?"  
  
"Spine?"  
  
"Good morning Mr Spine..."  
  
"No, no, I'm not The Spine... my name is Matt."  
  
He heard more typing. "No, a mat is for placing upon the floor," the voice droned.  
  
"Yeah, funny. But it's still my name."  
  
Typing. "Very well, Mr Mat." He swore he could actually hear the single letter T in the name. "We are communicating using a translation device. You were found early this morning in the park by a busker..."  
  
"No kidding? What in the world do buskers do in a town full of mimes?"  
  
There was a pause and more rustling. "You had been beaten severely," the voice continued. Apparently the pack of them had decided to not even try to respond to his busking question. "The police will be along soon to discuss the identification of your attacker."  
  
"Ah, well, meanwhile could I have a Coke?"  
  
"What is Coke?"  
  
"It's a drink! It's fizzy and brown and you have to get used to the taste..." Pause. "Coca Cola?"  
  
"Yes, we do have Coca Cola."  
  
"Hallelujah. Can I please have one?"  
  
"This is Bip Medical Hospital, not a soda counter..."  
  
"You must have a vending machine. Come on, do a guy a favor."  
  
"Very well. An orderly will bring your drink. Meanwhile we have some questions."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"How long have you been able to speak?"  
  
"Since I was..." He stopped hastily. What kind of a question was that? "Since this morning."  
  
"You only just learned to speak?" The monotone Spine-like voice managed to sound skeptical.  
  
"Yep." He had a feeling there was more under this than idle curiosity. After all, these people didn't speak... what if it was against the law or something? They had been pretty freaked out when he did it... "Half an hour ago. Amazing, isn't it?"  
  
"Mr. Mat, that is impossible. When did you learn you had a voice?"  
  
"What? Doesn't everyone?"  
  
"No, very few mimes do. I suppose as someone suffering from this affliction you must have noticed how very rare it is."  
  
Affliction? "Well... I first noticed during puberty."  
  
"Do your parents know, then?"  
  
This sounded ominous, but an emotionless Spine voice had that effect. He pictured his parents, mime edition, and felt a surge of fear. "No. They don't know anything about it."  
  
"We will have to speak to them just the same. If they knew and did not seek help in correcting your condition, they could face charges..."  
  
"What? They don't know anything, seriously! They have no idea..." Though, come to think of it, it seemed likely that Mime Matt's parents knew they had a son with a voice, apparently something taboo in this society from the sound of it, and refused to tell anyone or hand him over to have his larynx cut out... Did mime Matt have a sister, too?  
  
The door creaked open and a cold can was pressed into his hand. He sniffed it. Coke. Here was his chance.  
  
His heart pounded as he lifted the can to his lips. What would they do to the mime Smith family, if that was what they were called? If it weren't for him, they might never have known...  
  
He took a tiny sip of the Coke. It just tasted like blood now... There was a quick headrush, and he concentrated quickly on thinking what he wanted to say.  
  
"Carolina! Are you there?"  
  
"Matt! Finally! How much did you get?"  
  
"Just a can, but..."  
  
"Okay, good. Drink the whole can, okay? All at once if you can choke it down, and we'll bring you back..."  
  
"I... I can't..."  
  
"Just hold your nose," said the man's voice.  
  
"No, it's not that... Look, I'm in Bip Medical Hospital. I know Peter knows this place. Come find me. I look just like myself only I'm a mime. This guy's parents are in serious trouble for hiding that he was born with vocal chords or something, it's seriously effed up... You've got to come get all of them!"  
  
"Matt, please!" It was Janelle.  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"Matt..." Her voice faded away.  
  
"Mr. Mat!" The "Spine" was saying. "Remaining silent now will not clear your parents of complicity..."  
  
Hurry, Peter... he thought. I'll forgive whatever crap you've done if you come through on this...  
  
\----------  
  
Back in Walter Manor, Carolina listened and sighed. Janelle, sobbing, murmured, "So will I."


	15. Hatchy's Troubling Discovery - NinjaPastry

Spine's hands wrapped around Hatchet's waist and he lifted her from the ground, spinning her around as Steve, Dr. Lennox trailing along, walked in. Without the two looking, Spine quickly flipped up Hatchet's hood and she disappeared from the human's sights, but not The Spine's.  
  
When the hood went up, everyone saw nothing, but only The Spine saw her. Since the day she became Death's assistant to the the day now, he's always been the only one. That or the other siblings were just too stupid to see her. Or his love for her was so strong that no matter what she'd be there for him or something cheesy like that.  
  
Spine immediately put Hatchet down upon her feet and she played along, walking to the backside him to continue to look at the girl without being seen. "Mr. Negrete," he said with a smile, both from Hatchet's presence and consideration of a smile, "Dr. Lennox. How are you doing, Dr. Lennox? Any questions about the manor?"  
  
"No, thank you, love," she smiled. "A map would do nicely, but I do suppose Steven here will be of my service." Spine chuckled and Steve hid his face slightly, grinning. Spine caught the glance and laughed aloud, shaking his head. "Now, I need to work on Emmiline," she sighed, passing Steve and Spine to the table.   
  
[Do not touch her] Spine sent Hatchet over the com system. Hatchet's touch to anyone other than the siblings would instantly kill them, so she backed away.   
  
"I wasn't planning on it," she growled. "She's not on my list for a while." Spine rolled his eyes for her to see, then turned to Steve.  
  
"How's Jingle?"  
  
"I haven't seen her in a while," he answered. "I think she's with Carolina," he said, looking past Spine to watch Dr. Lennox work. "But I can go check up on her."  
  
"Please do," Spine said, putting a hand to his shoulder. "Please," he repeated. Steve looked to Spine, seeing the worry in his face. As much as he disliked the robots, he nodded and ran off, Hatchet climbing onto his back and sitting upon his shoulders like a child.   
  
"Let's go to the butterfly room," she grinned down to him, bending over to look him in the face, a smile on her silver face. Darkness leaked from her eyes and the spots where the plates intersected, looking as if space was seeping from her face plates.   
  
He smiled back and looked to Dr. Lennox. "Ma'am, I'll be leaving the room now. If you need my assistance or any of the Walter Workers, please dial 824 and ask for Carolina." Dr. Lennox nodded as she continued to hover over the young girl, giving Spine the OK to leave with his bride.   
  
As he walked, Hatchet played with his fedora until he took it off, then played with his hair, combing it back. He liked the way she messed with him, just the little things. She never got time to spend with him, and him either to her. As she playfully pestered him, her hood still up, Hatchet looked behind them to see Hatchworth walking up behind them. Hatchet stopped her pestering and jumped down from Spine's shoulders, making him bend his knees a bit and turn around to face her, but instead was face-to-face with Hatchy.  
  
"Hatchworth," he smiled, "how are you buddy?"  
  
"I am not here for questions, The Spine," he replied, anger drawn in his face. "I saw you with that girl!"  
  
Spine's stomach knotted and he held in the puff of steam. "Um, what girl, Hatchworth? You know I've stopped dating." Hatchet walked towards the older brother and looked at the silly bowler that he was fitted with, snickering to herself.  
  
"That girl who looks like you!" he persisted. "That copy of me that everybot hates! That sick and twisted little fungus of a robot who our Pappy made my mistake!" Spine clenched his fist, but Hatchet intervened by standing between them and glaring at him.   
  
"Hatchet isn't allowed in the manor, Hatchy. You know that."   
  
"Her name makes me sick," he heaved slightly to demonstrate. Spine watched him walk around the two of them, Spine letting out the angered puff and making sure he was around the corner to pull Hatchet's hood from her face.  
  
His thumbs pressed to her cheeks, wiping her slight tears. "Don't listen to him," he whispered, kissing her gently before taking her hand in his and leading her towards the tower stairs.   
  
=  
  
"And then Rabbit crushed Sammich," Jingle sniffled as she clutched Michael. Michael let out a sigh through the speaker as Leo walked into his office, Steve close behind.  
  
"Being creepy and stealing things. I'll let Spine know later," Steve said before turning and walking out. Leo rolled his eyes and sat on the desk in front of the robotic girl, pulling a paper from his file and smiling sweetly at her.  
  
"But Hatchy said he would get a new one by tomorrow," she finished. Leo looked to the paper, then to her.   
  
In Michael's little black box, his envisioned lovely wrapped in his strong arms, he smiled and she smiled back.   
  
"I have the prints for you, Miss Walter," Leo reported with a kind voice. "You are the only one who is going to see them out of your siblings, okay?"  
  
Michael waited patiently, hearing the engine he was pressed against rev slightly. Jan set Michael down lightly upon her lap, taking the print and letting out a small cry. It was obvious she was trying to hold it back, but Michael still heard it and so did Leo. She sucked it up quickly, looking to the tablet and then to the print, feeling ever so alone in her short life.  
  
"What about.. M-mmaaaat?"  
  
"Matthew's is still under construction, but he is going to look like you two are siblings all over again," Leo smiled. Tucked away in his desk was an old picture of Jan and Matt at Matt's graduation, Jan wearing his cap and the gown tossed over Matt's shoulder.   
  
Then he had another one of Michael and Matt at an SPG concert, then another one of Michael and Janelle playing with toy cars in the H.O.W. after a show. Leo's goal was to make this all happen again; Matt and Jan smiling together like how they used to; the two getting along all over again; and then Janelle and Michael not fighting and staying with each other, as if it were meant to be all along.  
  
"But Pappy-"  
  
"Pappy is busy, okay?" Leo asked. Jan nodded and he put a hand to her shoulder as Hatchworth stomped in, fuming. "And now I am. Just talk with Michael. Keep him company, okay? You can even tell him what he's going t look like, if you'd like."  
  
Leo drew his hand away, setting the file down and walking to the robot, leading hm into the next room where some empty boxes lay.  
  
"What is it, Hatchy?"  
  
"Something disgusting."


	16. What Carolina Tells, and What She Sees - Whistler

Peter stared at Carolina in disbelief.  
  
"You mean you located him but you didn't bring him back?"  
  
"We couldn't! He didn't drink the whole can of Coke..."  
  
He stared. The mask was good for that, at least. "Coke?"  
  
"Oh, man, I knew this was going to sound stupid. I thought the same thing. Coke what? But, well… the evidence is there. I don't know if it's the emotional memory of the accident, or a chemical response like Leo says. But when Matt sipped the Coke, we were able to get a lock on him. If he drank more, the scanner reported a more secure lock. I assume if he drank enough, we would be able to draw him back..." She trailed off. "It sounds worse than stupid, doesn't it? It sounds nuts..."  
  
"Well, to be honest..." He fired up his blowtorch and pulled down his welding mask.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"Hm?" He began welding an arm plate.  
  
"Is there any particular reason you're wearing a welding mask?"  
  
He sighed shortly. "I'm welding. Duh."  
  
"But..."  
  
"So Coke is reactive with Blue Matter. Guess you learn something new every day. Only how did Leo learn about it?"  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked distractedly. Why was he wearing the welding mask? He didn't have a face! He had nothing to protect...  
  
"Well, as I'm sure you told him, Walter Workers drink Coke all the time. How did he find out it had side effects if we didn't notice?"  
  
"Well, apparently we wouldn't have noticed since they only occur if the person drinking the Coke has some of it inside his body while dying in a Blue Matter explosion. And no, I don't know how he could have known that either." She frowned. "Why did an ordinary sedan have to have a Blue Matter containment unit, Peter?"  
  
"Walter sedan. It's one of our cars, therefore it has Blue Matter."  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
"It was a prototype, alright? We were trying to perfect something that never quite worked out... never got around to removing the unit. It shouldn't have mattered." He turned off the welder and sighed. "Alright, so back to the question... why is he still in Merveille instead of stored in the tablet I gave Leo?"  
  
"He refused to drink the Coke! He said that the guy he was in was in danger along with his family, and he wants you to come and get them!"  
  
"You have got to be putting me on!" he gasped, raising the welding mask.  
  
"I'm not, and why in the name of sanity are you wearing a welding mask when you're already wearing a mask over your nonexistent face?" she cried in exasperation.  
  
"I do have eyes, y'know. Just because you can't see them, I should burn my retinas out?"  
  
She put her hand to her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry..."  
  
He snorted. "Don't worry about it. So how am I supposed to find this guy? And what's he in trouble for? Is he a criminal?"  
  
"Well, he says he's in Bip Medical Hospital..."  
  
"Bip!" he cried. "I love that place! Go on…"  
  
"Right. And he says the other guy looks just like him, only pale."  
  
"Well, obviously. But yeah, I've had reports of people discovering mime doubles. Kazooland is in another dimension, after all."  
  
"As for the crime, it didn't make any sense. He said the guy has vocal chords?"  
  
Peter stood suddenly and tore off his welding mask, dropping it on the table next to robot Matt. “Vocal chords?”  
  
“I know, right?”  
  
He strode from the room. "I'll fire up the portal."  
  
"What?" she cried, hurrying to catch up. He took steps as big as The Spine's when he got in a hurry... "You mean mimes literally can't talk?"  
  
"Not in Bip, no. Not biological mimes. And it's kind of a touchy subject. They suffer tourists who can speak, they need the revenue, but they do not like mimes to take an interest in speaking themselves. Standard procedure is cordectomy, as soon as the child is of a viable age to perform it safely. You're telling me this guy's parents have been hiding this all his life? They had to know, the newborn must have cried..."  
  
"I guess so..." She was at a loss. It sounded barbaric...  
  
"Amazing! But dangerous. I can't wait to meet these people... but getting them out will be tricky if the authorities already know what they've done. I wish I had Mike's robot body ready, I could use the backup."  
  
"Um, Peter? You already have a house full of robots.”  
  
He stopped short. "Good point. Go tell The Spine, Rabbit, and Hatchworth that I need them to get into their disguises."  
  
Carolina stopped and stared after him. "They have disguises?"  
  
\----------  
  
Unable to get any more information from Peter, Carolina hurried to The Spine's room.   
  
“Spine?” she called, peeking around the doorframe. She was always careful to respect The Spine's privacy; didn’t expect him to be undressed, exactly, and even if he was it was nothing to her. As part of his maintenance network, she was unaffected by the sight of his human-form chassis, despite the fact that his build was the most determinedly human of all the robots. It was still a robot body and held no more allure than the refrigerator downstairs. Though as she recalled, the fridge was Walter, and therefore had its own quirks, such as wolf-whistling every time Rabbit came anywhere near the toaster.  
  
In any case, it payed to give The Spine his space; to do otherwise was to invited world-class scowls and comments about treating robots as less than the household humans.  
  
Carolina shrugged and moved on. She found Rabbit thumb wrestling herself. Perfect, she thought. If Rabbit’s that bored, she’ll be glad to join Peter for just about anything.  
  
“Rabbit, Peter says he needs you to go with him to Bip for an emergency rescue. He wants you to wear your disguise…”  
  
Rabbit’s eyes lit up with undisguised glee. “Really?” she squeaked.  
  
Carolina giggled. “Really really. What is your disguise, Rabbit?”  
  
“A big blonde moustache!”  
  
“That’s just a joke, Rabbit…”  
  
“Well, that’s part of it…”  
  
“But… aren’t you supposed to blend in, or something? I’m sorry, but a 6’1” stacked lady in a big blonde moustache…”  
  
“Ohhh… Alright. I think this calls for the other one… Did you say Bip?”  
  
“Yup.”  
  
Rabbit grinned. “Of course. The Balboa Park original. A few tweaks and it’ll be r-r-r-ready in a few minutes. That vest always was a little loose… should fit over the F-cups…”  
  
“Rabbit!” she laughed.  
  
“Ya got any white paint?”  
  
“Sure… in the fourth floor closet…”  
  
“I’ll need some eyeliner too…”  
  
“You took mine, remember?”  
  
“Oh, yeah…”  
  
“Right, well…” Carolina shrugged. “Meet Peter in the portal room in forty minutes.”  
  
Rabbit scurried out, snickering.  
  
Carolina hurried along, looking for Hatchworth. Before she found him, though, she passed the butterfly room… one of the few rooms in the Manor that required a door. She heard voices inside. It sounded like The Spine and… a woman?  
  
She peered through the screen door and saw them… well, she saw The Spine. He was holding his arm at an awkward angle as though around someone’s waist, but no one was there.  
  
“That’s a Blue Morpho… oh, you do? But do you know the genus?”  
  
He sounded playful, flirtatious, in his tone. Odd sort of talk for flirting, she thought, before remembering with a start that he was flirting with empty space. She sighed as the woman’s voice answered. Was he doing both voices? Well, Peter would have to do without this robot, as it was painfully clear that he needed a tune-up…  
  
“No,” he said. “I don’t really care either.”  
  
“They’re beautiful,” came the female voice. “That’s all I need to know about them.”  
  
“Not as beautiful as you…”  
  
Sheesh… Carolina rolled her eyes. Still, it would be kinda sweet to have a guy say stuff like that to you…   
  
The Spine smiled and turned to the side, putting his arms around the non-existent person. Just like in Honeybee, only it’s the wrong robot, Carolina thought. I’d better go tell Peter…  
  
The Spine reached up and moved both hands away from himself. It reminded her of a man pulling back a bridal veil before kissing the bride… only as his hands drifted gently backward, a head appeared from underneath his fingers! Carolina clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from crying out.  
  
There was a woman! A robot woman, under some kind of cloak of invisibility (shades of Harry Potter, she thought). The screen door made it hard to make out the features, but there was no doubt about it. As she watched, The Spine stroked the woman’s cheek and she saw a flicker on his hand. She peered through the crack between the door and the doorframe and saw that it was a ring. Left hand, ring finger… Her heart gave a painful, startled thump…   
  
What had The Spine been up to?  
  
The woman’s cloak slipped to the floor and he pulled her gently into his arms and kissed her longingly among the butterflies, his fingers curling into her hair, steam rising from every vent as he pulled her closer. Carolina stood transfixed, one hand over her heart, a little smile on her face, watching the two. She felt little prickles at the corners of her eyes as she thought of another pair of strong arms...   
  
“Is The Spine in there?” asked a deep voice right behind her.  
  
“Butterflies!” she shrieked involuntarily, gasping in terror. She whirled and found Leo staring down at her, his expression stern. Hatchworth stood beside him, looking angrier than she had ever seen him.  
  
She was speechless for a moment before gasping, “Hatchworth you need to get into your disguise and go with Peter to Bip… I-I-I… tell The Spine the same thing alright? I have to go do a thing…”  
  
“Carolina?” Leo called as she bolted down the hallway.  
  
“Got a thing… real important… right now!” she squeaked as she fled. She ran past Rabbit who had painted her entire face white and was fanning it with a folding fan.  
  
“Hey, I didn’t know we had blue paint, too…” she said as Carolina passed.  
  
The Walter Girl ran into the first bathroom she reached and splashed her face with cold water, but it didn’t help. She was blushing bright blue right down to her collar and beyond.  
  
“Ugh…” she sighed. “I look like a Smurf.”


	17. The Spine Walters Squared, and the Mime Smiths - NinjaPastry

Leo was left quite confused after Carolina fled like that. Instead of following her, however, he looked back to Hatchy and then into the room where she fled from. The Colonel walked forward and saw The Spine being very passionate with some ladybot.  
  
"You see?" Hatchworth whispered to Leo as he crept over to him. "Disgusting."  
  
It looked, to Leo, like she was the ladybot from the picture in the large guest bedroom, the one with teal photoreceptors. Strange for Spine to be hypocritical about kissing his technical sister, but everything else seemed fine to the boy. Her dress was black silk and battle leather in a few places, golden shoulder plates and a pocket watch tied around her neck. A corset made of gold plates and silver rivets with rusted edges was tight around her very wiry frame, making him wonder about how she was even able to function, however, there was nothing off about that.  
  
The bottom of the dress was tattered and looked like it was blood soaked and covered in nether ash. That was off putting, but nothing to concern Hatchworth in any means. The front of her dress was torn at the top, about mid thigh, and was torn all the way down to the back like a fashionable dress would be, but as mentioned before bloody and dirty. There were metal shards bolted and riveted along the knee line; golden and silver and a few copper shards shimmered in the sunlight.  
  
Her hair, which Spine's hand was in, was long, about to her shoulders, and a soft brown with red and black low-lights blended in nicely. She at the least kept nice. It was parted on one side, the right, which was turned away from Leo. Her face was a little slimmer than The Spine's and it looked like there wasn't a blue matter glow at all, but more of an absence-of-light-glow, which wasn't exactly possible, but it was going on. There was a hood attached to the back of her dress that was down, making the boy wander towards the door to get a better look, seeing her covered arms wrapped around The Spine's neck.   
  
Then he was off put, immensely, by the glowing lights in a pouch tied to her hip plate, assuming. Black leather, twine for string, and a metal rivet at the bottom of black metal. In the spirit world, where Leo often visits against his will, that's a soul keeper, and it's a bad thing to see in the mortal world. Now this was disgusting.  
  
"Mr. Walter," Leo cleared his throat. Spine broke this kiss and very smoothly slid Hatchet's hood back over her head, her entirety disappearing from Leo and Hatchworth's sight. Well, Leo still could see the soul keeper and the hazy black mist in her place; a broken soul was holding her there, almost like a dead spirit for him to gawk at.   
  
Spine looked between the two and glared, wondering why the door was even open in the first place. "Mr. Walter, who are you with?" Leo asked as if he had no idea, which really he didn't.   
  
"No one to anyone's concern," he replied. Hatchet drew her arms from him and waled to the door, Leo taking a reactive step back. No soul keeper will ever get near him again.   
  
"He's with that disgusting girl!" Hatchworth shouted. The butterflies fluttered about and hid in the copper and aluminium trees, the soft whirs of their wind-up bodies filling the sudden silence. "That evil, disgusting, annoying and retched girl," he added. It sounded as if Hatchworth was about to say more, but didn't.  
  
Leo looked to him but he looked as if he was being choked or shut up by some force. Then Leo saw the mist and the soul keeper. Hatchet was strangling him?  
  
"Stop it," Spine shouted, walking briskly to the door. Hatchworth started to steam and puff clouds of dark smoke and the anger on his face disappeared to fear. Metal crunching sounds made Leo take another step away from the mist, Spine grabbing the mist's holder. Her hood fell from face and she reappeared, kicking Hatchworth hard with her leather combat boots.   
  
Hatchworth fell back into the wall and Spine set the ladybot down. Leo stared at her. She was everywhere. She was in his room, the battlefield, the crash site, the ceremony as he received a folded flag as a child. Peter Walter was there, too, and she was front row, watching him with concern drawn on her face. Now he saw the anger on her beautiful and dark face.  
  
"I'm not disgusting," she screamed, "I am your demise!"   
  
"Hatchet!" Spine yelled, grabbing her arm and pulling her back hard. She looked at him and then to Hatchworth as he adjusted his neck plates and glared at her.   
  
"E...Enough," Leo struggled. "Stop it. All of you. The Spine, let her go. Hatchworth, go get your disguise on." He nodded and walked away, muttering curse words of horrid sammich names under his breath. "Being," he said, looking to her. She looked back at him and pulled free of Spine's grip, facing him. As tall as he she was as well.  
  
"Being, please leave."  
  
"My name is Hatchet Alexis Walter², wife of The Spine Walter². Do not by any means have you got the right to call me 'being'. Understood?" she glared at him and he shivered, slipping a hand under her dress and grabbing the soul keeper. She instantly grabbed it back and slapped him, Spine grabbing her again and pulling her back to him.  
  
"I'll take her to my room and I'll get dressed. Tell Peter it'll be a few minutes," Spine said, letting Hatchet go. She put the pouch back onto it's string and Leo sighed, reaching into his pocket and taking a huff of his inhaler. He turned around and walked away, shivers going up his spine as he saw the spirits flying past him, screaming and crying as if they were being pulled into a tornado.   
  
=  
  
Matt was finally allowed to sit up, only after being put in heavy metal cuffs and what felt like a ball and chain onto his ankles. Instead of sitting in a hospital room or operating table, he was sitting in a taxi with the Spine's voiced mime who constantly was writing things down in what looked like French, but seemed a little like Italian.   
  
They were driving down many streets, some city and some suburb. Matt the Mime was having no fun all locked away, but Matt the Captor sure was if fear counted as fun. The memories of his family before Janelle died was horrid, making him think that this world would be the same.   
  
He couldn't go through that again. Not the yelling, the hitting, none of it. If he could he would jump from the car and crawl back home somehow, but that wasn't the case by this point. Now he's have to face his thoughts and fears as the taxi cab slowed to a stop and the Spine voiced mime stepped out, opening the door for him on the other side.   
  
The house looked exactly like how it did in the 5th dimension; a red door with a crack at the top from when he tried to throw a rock at his dad when he was 10 and it missed. They never fixed it here nor there, making him shiver but smile a little on the inside. There were black shudders and off-white siding and even the old Zebra pointed mailbox at the end of the way.  
  
As the Spine voiced mime walked forward to knock on the door, a young mime, a young girl, ran past Matt and hopped over the large wooden fence, her green eyes flashing at his own blue for a second. As if she dropped everything, she climbed the fence and looked at him with confusion, staring at the cuffs.   
  
Matt saw the wonder in her eyes. Those were.. that was... no...  
  
"Mat," he called, knocking on the door. Matt shuffled forward and the girl hopped the fence again. She walked over to him and looked down at him (she was three inches taller and always has been since she was 12 and he was 21), tears forming in her eyes.   
  
"It's not what it looks like," he whispered softly. She nodded and hugged him gently before letting go, running back to the fence and jumping it again.   
  
Janelle, back at home, would always run around and then hop the fence, pretending she was running from aliens and monsters from her comic books. Sometimes Matt would go with her for the workout or to get away from the parents, but then one day she full out stopped. That was a week before... no don't think about it, Matt told himself.   
  
The door opened and there stood his mother and all of her apron an flour glory. Baking was her excuse for everything. Can't drive Jannie to school? Baking a cake for Matt's graduation in two months. Need to help Mr. Smith with painting? Can't. Book club needs some cookies. And so on so forth.  
  
"Mrs. Smith?" the mime asked, "I need to speak to your husband." She nodded and walked away, then came back with the father. Matt lost himself and fell to his knees, knowing the outcome of this talk; unspeakable manners of hatred and anger. It happened to all three of them, too.  
  
"Your son has spoken aloud in front of other of his kind. Surgery can go underway, but we need your full cooperation so no body gets hurt. I need you to answer a few questions for me, Mr. Smith. Is that alright with you?"   
  
He glared at Matt and then nodded, opening the door wide so he could walk in, leaving Matt to sulk on the front yard. Well, not alone. Jan came back with some comics and sat beside him, putting one in his lap and opening one for herself; jut like the old Jannie Mary Smith.   
  
"Dad seemed mad," he whispered.   
  
"He's already gotten his day's worth out, though, so don't worry about a bloody lip tonight," she replied. She could speak, too? What was going on here? But wait, what?1  
  
"Where did-"  
  
"Just my back. Not like anyone's looking to see or anything. Doesn't hurt now. Might later, but not now," she sighed. "Wanna go to the hub?"   
  
The Hub was her little get away. When they first got the house when Jan was 9 or ten, the two discovered a small bunker in the back yard that ended up being their get-away hub. They kept Twinkies and honey in there, as well as water, paintball guns, and all of Jan's mint-condition, collector's edition comic books. She covered the walls in Speed Racer screen caps and drawings and Matt always kept a bucket and a pair of drumsticks down there if they were to stay for long.   
  
"They'll find me, Jan," he sighed. "Better to stay down there by yourself."  
  
She nodded and walked away, leaving him with the book and hopped the fence again. Tears started to run down his face. He missed this old life and everything about it. He missed Jan's sweet voice that never cracked or squeaked. He missed the comic book hoards she would bring into the house from the local record store to sift through to see who would get what comic.   
  
The thing he missed the most was how she was still herself: loving and understanding. Anything she ever needed she would go to him and vise versa. If not for the 9 year difference, they'd be twins.  
  
Now Matt was torn. Stay here and see Jan grow up like how it should be, or go home and learn how to do everything over and live with her and protect her? Matt the mime would need to stay home, but he'd rather be himself and see her grow up and be the dancer she'd always wanted to be. Janelle back at the manor didn't know how to dance all that well. He could teach her...  
  
"Matt!" Rabbit cried as a loud swoosh came from behind him. A portal ripped into the fabric of space and time and Rabbit walked out, looking human, followed by The Spine and Hatchworth. "Let's go!"


	18. Robots Rescuing Mimes - Whistler

Rabbit snorted. "Invisible ball and chain. Mimes... ya gotta love 'em."  
  
Matt stared. "Who the crap are you?"  
  
The robots stared at him, then looked at each other. Rabbit snorted and started to giggle.  
  
"Star Wars. Rescue buzzkill."  
  
"What?" asked The Spine.  
  
"Ain't ya a little short to be a s-s-s-stormtrooper?"  
  
Matt's eyes widened. "Rabbit?"  
  
"The one and only!"  
  
There was a collective sigh from the others that suggested this was a reality they all cherished.  
  
"But..." Matt's voice dropped to a whisper. "You look like a guy... a mime guy..."  
  
Rabbit frowned. "So do you."  
  
"Touche..."  
  
Rabbit grinned, tugging at her vest and smoothing it in front. "It ain't as sexy but it ain't bad, eh? A little snug over the girls but..."  
  
"Incoming, Rabbit!" The Spine snapped under his breath. "Switching to wifi."  
  
"Right!"  
  
The mime police officer began to gesture vigorously.  
  
/Activating translation software./ The Spine sent.  
  
 _Move along, citizens! This is a police matter._  
  
/I'll move you along.../  
  
/Not helping, Rabbit./ _What seems to be the trouble, officer?_ The Spine asked.  
  
/Cliche.../ Rabbit sent.  
  
/@@/ sent Hatchworth. Rabbit muffled a snort of amusement.  
  
The Spine tuned them out and smiled pleasantly at the officer, who was clearly having none of it.  
  
 _Move along or we will be forced to take you into custody for obstructing police business,_ she insisted.  
  
/It's no good. Rabbit, diversion!/  
  
/What? We never talked about a diversion!/  
  
/Since when do you need help diverting people, Rabbit?/  
  
/Ya got me there./ Rabbit took a step forward, scooped up the officer, and kissed her on the mouth.  
  
"Oh, come on!" The Spine cried, exasperated.  
  
/She's cute and I'm available so just shut up./  
  
/Don't waste it, dummins./ sent Hatchworth.  
  
/Fine!/ He grabbed Matt and started toward the portal.  
  
"Wait!" Matt cried. "I can't go yet!"  
  
The portal vanished.  
  
"What?" The Spine looked at Matt.  
  
"I didn't do it!"  
  
There was a crackle over The Spine's wifi. "He did, actually," came Leo's voice. "Not on purpose, mind you. I'll explain later. Just tell him to shut up while we reopen the portal."  
  
/I don't think that'll work, considering the cops are coming out right now with the other mimes.../ Hatchworth told them.  
  
The Spine turned to see the police, clutching the mime Smiths, staring in shock at Rabbit smooching the police officer (who did not appear to be putting up a struggle). They flailed their arms and she pulled her lips away from Rabbit's with a sharp popping sound.  
  
 _Officer Shields! What is the meaning of this?_  
  
/Ugh, SO cliche.../ Rabbit sent, holding tightly onto the now struggling officer.  
  
Matt's sister, attracted by whatever sense mimes had for these things, ran around the corner of the house, saw The Spine clutching Matt and rushed to his aid.  
  
"It's okay!" Matt cried. "He's here to help!"  
  
"But..." She clamped her lips shut as the police looked sharply at her.  
  
"Oh, no! Grab her, too, okay? And my mom! And..." He couldn't say it. His father looked at him sharply. There was a flicker of hurt, followed by anger. Matt glared back. In either world, it was the same. There was no loyalty here.  
  
Hatchworth tried to grab the woman but she slapped him away with her cuffed hands and grabbed onto her husband. Hatchworth shrugged and scooped up Janelle instead. She squeaked in surprise.  
  
 _Citizen, unhand that officer!_  
  
 _Make me._ Rabbit mimed. She tickled the officer and she shook with silent laughter. She slapped at Rabbit's hand and glared up at her.  
  
 _Stop in the name of the law!_  
  
/Clicheeee.../ sang Rabbit, releasing her with a twirl. She kissed her hand quickly, made a quick "call me" gesture and turned to the others.  
  
"Leg it!" Rabbit roared, bolting down the street. The others, startled, ran after.  
  
/Establish a new location for the portal, Peter!/ The Spine sent. /We're heading due east.../  
  
"Alright, Spine. Setting it up at the corner of Box Street and Main."  
  
/We'll be there./

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gotta confess, I didn't mention this when this was posted on the Cav, but I stole that "Leg it!" moment from Red Dwarf. It's a moment worthy of stealing.


	19. Emmy's Repair, and... oh, Spine! Wow, dude... - NinjaPastry

Carolina shuffled back into one of Peter's offices, expecting to see Leo, but instead a woman helping a young child sit up. Dr. Lennox! She'd almost forgotten about her...  
  
"Ma'am, Carolina spoke up, "How is she doing?"  
  
"All better," she replied as Emmy's body shivered and powered up. "Where's Mr. Walter? I'd love to show him."  
  
"He's busy," she said as she walked into the office. "But I can always take a message. He should be returning soon, anyhow."  
  
Dr. Lennox helped the young girl from the table, Carolina noting the disappointing look upon her face. "Mr. Walter needs to know that Michael's been removed and her wiring is fixed, however, she does now have Walter Robotic components in her. I need to know how much to pay Mr. Walter for a few wires, approximately 8, and a metal plate, 33 centimeters by 67 centimeters."  
  
Carolina quickly wrote down the measurements and put them into metric, smiling back to the doctor. Before she could speak up, Steve brushed past her and picked up Emmy, hoisting her upon his shoulders. She squealed and Dr. Lennox laughed, Steve grinning at Carolina. She rolled her eyes and walked out, leaving what she called "The Happy Negrete Family".   
  
She passed the current workshop holding Matt and Michael's robodies and saw The Wheel sitting between the two tables, holding the iPad to her chest. The Walter Worker sighed and walked in, sitting in front of her.  
  
"Well, maybe the tubes are supposed to make me look even stronger or something. I sure hope so. It would be so much easier to carry you around when you shut down if I were stronger!" Michael laughed. In turn the girl laughed, looking to Carolina who laughed a little as well.  
  
"You two holding up alright?" she asked.  
  
"Yep," they said in unison, instantly laughing, just like how they used to sometimes.   
  
She stood and walked out, walking to the front door to see Jon and UpGrade making sure all of their bags were packed for tomorrow's leave to the 8th dimension. Everything seemed so quiet and peaceful to the Walter Worker, so she finally, for once, relaxed.  
  
=  
  
"Set me down!" Jan screamed, bashing gloved fists upon Hatchworth's arm as they quickly walked down a few alleys. He only sighed and threw her over his shoulder, Matt shuffling behind and shaking his head to her behavior. She stuck her tongue out at him and let limp, acting as if she was dead.  
  
"Does she causally do this a lot?" Hatchworth called back to Matt.   
  
"Yeah," he sighed. "Defense system."   
  
"Be quiet or we'll get caught," Spine bustled, jumping a little as he walked, scared.   
  
[How about instead you tell Rabbit what you've been up to, The Spine,] Hatchworth growled over the wifi.  
  
{What do you mean?} Rabbit sent. {Is there soothing you've been hiding, Spine?}  
  
| Nothing, Rabbit Hatchworth, let's all just be quiet. We could be inter- |  
  
{I want to know,} Rabbit seethed.  
  
\Yeah Spine,\ Peter said, \Tell us.\  
  
Spine huffed steam and turned a corner sharply, Matt tripping and nearly falling before Spine caught him. Tell them or don't. It was like the age-old Shakespeare question of "To be or not to be", but more life-threatening.   
  
| Well, in all honesty, I'm a married man. And, it just so happens that no one will ever find interest in becoming friends with her. |  
  
{What's her name?}  
  
| Um... Hatchet. |


	20. Awkward Family Discussion, and Steve Dances Around the Friend Zone - Whistler

Rabbit's photoreceptor's started twitching. _Keep it together, honey_ , she told herself.  
  
/So were you gonna tell yehr loving family you decided to get married to a homicidal maniac?/ she asked sweetly.  
  
/Rabbit.../  
  
/She must be something for you to overlook that whole "murdered my family" thing, or are you trying to be the bigger bot?/  
  
/You don't understand.../ The Spine said miserably.  
  
/Understand what?/ asked Peter blankly. /Spine, when did you find time for a wedding? I'm kinda hurt, really. Mostly surprised, but... well, I didn't expect to be the best man but an invitation would be nice./  
  
Silence fell as they waited for Peter to catch up.  
  
/Did you say, 'murdered my whole family" Rabbit?/ Peter said at last.  
  
/Ding./  
  
/Wait, whoa whoa whoa... _That_ Hatchet?/  
  
Hatchworth gave a satisfied sigh. The Spine glared at him.  
  
/Why, yes, Master Peter, I did say that./  
  
/You all don't understand. If you'd let me explain.../  
  
/Spine! Didn't she... wasn't she seen by Colonel Walter's bedside the night he died?/  
  
/He was dying anyway.../  
  
/Spine!/ Rabbit sent, shocked.  
  
/That didn't come out right.../  
  
/What would possess you to actually marry her, Spine?/  
  
The Spine fell silent. Rabbit, still seething, glared at him. His mime disguise fit his features neatly. The look on his very human face spoke volumes. She sighed, her anger softening.  
  
/Because he loves her,/ she told Peter. /That's why ya do stupid things like that./  
  
/Rabbit!/ Hatchworth sent, his voice crackling with anger. /Do you not remember what Ma said about her?/  
  
/Well, I been thinking about that, Hatchy. I love Ma but she could be kinda petulant.../  
  
/Not to interrupt,/ Leo interrupted, /but are you anywhere near Main?/  
  
They had been moving up Box Street, trying to blend in. The Spine had snapped Matt's restraints as soon as they lost the police pursuit, but they still had to duck into alleys when the silent squad cars zipped by with flashing lights that would have lit a baseball stadium. Once they had talked Rabbit into putting down the ball and chain, which she had been swinging around like a yo-yo, they had been able to pass with drawing unwanted attention.  
  
The Spine looked down the street, refocusing his eyes to see long distances. /Two blocks left./  
  
/Alright, keep moving. You can have your little reality tv moment when you get back./  
  
/Thanks./ Peter sighed. /Alright, guys.../  
  
/Peter?/  
  
/Yes, Hatchworth?/  
  
/What Romeo has failed to tell you is that she is in the house./  
  
Silence.  
  
/What?/  
  
/She won't.../  
  
/Seriously, Spine?/  
  
/She won't hurt anyone! I promise!/  
  
/You promise! The guy who married her and brought her home to finish off the Walters!/ Hatchworth crackled. /Rabbit, say something!/  
  
/Look... I'll tell ya the truth. I don't know what to think anymore. I m-m-may not show it but I trust The Spine's judgment, y'know? But it's her.../  
  
/And you, Leo! Can't you sense this stuff or something?/ Peter cried.  
  
/I did, but I also got the feeling she'd met her quota./  
  
/How...?/  
  
/That's the only reason she came to me, Peter! She's afraid to come near unless she has.../  
  
/Y'know what, Leo's right. This can wait. I'm switching on the laser security system, though. Where is she?/  
  
/I left her in my room.../  
  
/Sleeping?/ asked Rabbit, smirking.  
  
/Don't go there./  
  
/Sorry./  
  
/Right, turning on lasers in that wing of the house only. See you in a few minutes./  
  
\----------  
  
"This way. Peter says we need to stay away from the upper floors. By the way, I thought you were taller..." Steve said to Emmeline.  
  
"I had those wedge shoes on. They make me feel more grownup."  
  
"Well, I mean, you're short, but your human suit has... y'know..."  
  
"Breasts, love?" asked Dr. Lennox, laughing. "Don't be shy, now. It's just an accessory."  
  
"Maybe to you," he said tightly, eyes straight forward.  
  
"She's really only a few years old, looks like a little girl in her natural form, wears a woman suit for a disguise so as not to have trouble with creepy men, although she could flatten them if she saw fit."  
  
"Stop talking about me, Mum..."  
  
"But he asked, love. I'm very proud of all of you. You're just children but you've come so far so quickly..."  
  
"Not a child," she sulked.  
  
Dr. Lennox sighed. "I think your Michael has activated some dormant protocols a bit early, Steven," she whispered.  
  
"I can hear you."  
  
"Well, you weren't supposed to become interested in young men for a few more years, dear!"  
  
"Mum!"  
  
Steve struggled not to laugh. "I think Michael Reed is responsible for a lot of girls discovering boys a little early. I... uh... don't mean that in a nasty way. Y'know, more like they look at his Youtube at slumber parties and say he's dreamy, that kind of thing."  
  
"I know, dear. He's terribly sweet. I was skeptical about the robots but really it would be a shame for such a nice young man to die so young."  
  
"Nice young man..." Michael was only a few years younger than Steve. "You think he's young."  
  
"He is. So are you."  
  
"How young? I mean, young enough to be your son... young enough to be your brother..."  
  
"Young enough to be my date?" She laughed merrily. "Oh, Steven. You're like a window pane, love. And I'm very flattered..."  
  
Aw, crap, that sounded like the kiss off. "I didn't know it was that obvious..." he said softly.  
  
"Mum, I am right HERE!" Emmeline groaned.  
  
"We can talk about it later, Steven."  
  
"You mean, discuss it, toss it around, weigh the pros and cons? Or..." He flicked his gaze up to Emmeline on his shoulders and decided not to finish his thought.  
  
"Talk, love."  
  
"Oh." Well, he liked talking to her. Better than nothing. She certainly was a good sport... He sighed.  
  
"What's that, Mum?" asked Emmeline.  
  
They all looked down the hall in time to see a flicker, a cloaked figure pulling up its hood and vanishing.  
  
"Oh, my!" cried Dr. Lennox.  
  
What the... Steve gulped and said cheerfully, "Oh, y'know they say the house is haunted, right? Old houses. Maybe we have a friendly spirit watching us pass. Come on, nothing to be afraid of."  
  
All the same, he shivered as he passed the spot where the figure had vanished.  
  
\----------  
  
_Day has passed, day is done... time to seek another one..._  
  
"No..." murmured Hatchet. "Not here!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This would have been before we decided to go with the whole dragon Steve idea... so let's just assume I meant the age Steve was passing for.


	21. Neutralizing Hatchet, Robot Talk wif Bunny (and David) - NinjaPastry

A scroll of fire appeared in her grip, the silver of her hands shimmering as the ancient scriptures of Grimm's wiring made it's showing before her.

"Today has been so lovely, no? Grasp his hand and let him go. He's falling forward fro and back, now it's time his skull be cracked."

"Who?" she whispered. As if by command the name appeared slowly, fading into view. A hitch in her breath made her whole body shake and a few cogs churn the wrong way.

"Peter Alexander Walter the Sixth," it read. She sighed and looked to the hall where Steve, Emmy and Dr. Lennox were passing. She put out her hand and the scythe formed; an old wooden stick with a blade of copper, bronze, and iron rusted and seeping with dried blood kept to her grasp. A leather bound strap to hold it suddenly was strewn across her shoulder and around her waist.

Then she saw them: the lasers. She teleported directly back into the H.O.W., seeing the lasers upon the floor nearly instantly. She placed the butt of the staff to the floor and perched upon the blade, slipping her hood down to get a better view.

"LOL Intruderz," QWERTY sang, the screen hanging down in front of her face.

Hatchet put a finger to her lips, telling him to be quiet. Instead he flipped the screen to the face of Mr. Walter himself, a headset upon his head and his hands clenched into fists.

"Ms. Reaper," he said nonchalantly. Spine, Rabbit, Hatchworth, and Leo all heard him, making Spine hold his breath and hold back his tears. "How are you today? Well? Great. As you may have noticed, I know you're here. As you may know, the consequence is going to be very painful."

"Please," she whispered, "Don't..."

The Spine stopped walking and looked to the ground, Rabbit and Leo passing him. He listened intently and felt the oil drip down his face, hearing the fear of her voice.

"We can do this one of two ways, Ms. Reaper. One: You die. Two: You divorce The Spine and never return to this manor ever again or so help me I will kill you myself."

She could tell he was smiling behind that mask. She brought her hand up to pull up her hood but felt a burning sensation in her wrist. She screamed loudly and fell back into the lasers, a loud, even worse, scream came from her. Spine looked to the sky, his green eyes wide.

\Stop it!\ Spine shouted to Peter. \Leave her alone!\

\You know the rules Spine,\ Peter menaced.

\Yeah I know the rules but you don't have to enforce them!\ he sobbed, falling to his knees in the middle of an alley everyone walking past him. Janelle looked up from Hatchworth's shoulder and saw the expression on Spine's face, kneeing Hatchworth in the stomach to stop him.

Leo walked through the door of the H.O.W., seeing her shaking and screaming on the floor as the lasers started to interfere with her dark magic powered body. He stood over her and with Peter's command, ripped the pocket watch from her neck, silencing her. Her eyes dimmed and the colour shut off, then her whole body relaxed and the dark matter played along like it was a fire burning on her body.

\Is she dealt with?\ Hatchworth smirked.

\Yes,\ Peter swallowed, unsure of his decision, \Yeah I do believe so.\

=

"You look just like The Spine," Janelle smiled, watching the twin Matter Masters work on Michael's body. "And you look just like Rabbit!"

"Who knows," Bun smiled, "They could be modeled after us!"

Don't put those thoughts in her head," Mike laughed. "She might actually start to think that."

"I have," she whispered to the iPad, "and it's not pretty." Michael laughed aloud, Dave and Bun smiling as they worked on him.

"Matter Master Dave," Michael said after he calmed himself. They could still hear the laughter in his voice and continued to work, even as Jan stood and walked to Dave and held up the iPad, "How's me lookin'?"

"Yous is lookin' fine, if I do say so myself. However, Miss Walter here will need to hand over your blueprints again so I know where to place the rivet"

"She doesn't have it," Bun interrupted, "But I do!" She slid her hand under the table and handed Dave the sheet, Janelle quickly snatching it after he got what he needed. The twins scoffed and Michael sighed. In his little black box he saw piece by piece his robody being created, Janelle being taken apart and replaced with new parts, and Matt silent, a doll in the corner with button eyes and a stitched smile across his face. Soon he'd see Matt again, just a bit different, hopefully.

 


	22. Rabbit! Noooooo... - Whistler

The Spine was frozen on the spot, staring down at the oil pooling on his hands.  
  
"What's going on?" Matt whispered.  
  
"Spine? Buddy? Matt needs you, alright? Just a few more steps..." Rabbit said gently next to his ear.  
  
"Rabbit..." he gasped. "I can't... He killed her..."  
  
"She's just shut down, right?"  
  
"I... I don't know... it sounded like..."  
  
/Spine! You can deal with me face to face. I accept that. But don't fall apart now. The others will have to leave you behind if you can't get moving./  
  
The Spine looked up sharply. /Peter!/  
  
/Spine, cool it!/ Rabbit warned.   
  
/Yeah, we have things to discuss, Peter. Open the portal./ The Spine stood quickly. "Come on!" he hissed to Matt. The man took a step backward.  
  
"Will someone please tell me what's happened? Who killed who?"  
  
"No one you know..." Rabbit murmured, hurrying forward. The Spine glanced at her and her eyebrows lifted in exaggerated mime apprehension.  
  
"That's very comforting," Matt muttered. "But I'd like to know what insanity is waiting for me before I just walk right into it..."  
  
Rabbit snorted. "Why start now?"  
  
The intersection was before them. They saw the flashing lights coming around the corner.  
  
"Police! Get out of sight!" Rabbit cried.  
  
/No time, Rabbit. Matt is the key and he's too close; the portal has already activated. I can't open another today, twice is pushing it already. Wibbly-wobbly fixed point blah blah that sort of thing./  
  
/Not a good time, Petes. Alright.../ Aloud, she said, "We have to go for it. Petes said so."  
  
"They've seen us!" cried Matt.  
  
"Nothing for it, then," The Spine said grimly.   
  
He scooped up Matt and bolted for the portal now shimmering on the far corner, the other robots close behind. The police car whipped in front of them as they ran and The Spine ran smoothly over the top of the cruiser, denting it with every step. Matt screamed and held on as the silver automaton leaped through the portal and fell to the floor in the portal room. Matt rolled across the room and ended up on a pile of mattresses and cushions. He remembered... Peter often returned in a hurry from his adventures and had prepared for rough landings. The Spine was apparently used to rescuing him, too, considering the skillful way he had tossed Matt out of the way.   
  
Hatchworth fell on top of The Spine with a resounding "oof!" as Jan rolled into her brother's arms. He laughed and hugged her, looking over to see what happened when Rabbit fell onto the pile.  
  
One heartbeat passed... two... three...   
  
"Rabbit?" Peter, working the control panel, sounded worried.  
  
There was a flash and Rabbit lunged through and collapsed, face down, onto the struggling pile of robots.  
  
"Finally!" Peter gasped.  
  
"Get off me!" The Spine shouted. He looked up at Peter with an expression of attempted murder just waiting to happen.  
  
"Now, Spine, we were going to talk..."  
  
"Did I give you that impression? My mistake! I talked, and you murdered the woman I love! I am through talking!"  
  
"Murder?" gasped Matt.  
  
"Spine, stop! It is for your own good!" Hatchworth cried, pinning The Spine's arms behind his back. "Run, Peter!" he cried.  
  
"Wait..."  
  
"No, do not wait, run! Did I stutter? I do not stutter! That is Rabbit's job!"  
  
"Rabbit?"  
  
"Yes, the great heavy robot helping to hold The Spine down so that he will not smush you! Rabbit, that is very helpful but I did not realize you were so heavy..."  
  
Peter ran toward them.  
  
"Have you lost your brilliant mind, man?" Hatchworth shouted.  
  
"Rabbit! Rabbit, respond!"  
  
Rabbit rolled heavily off of the heaving stack of robots and landed with a whump like a bag of lead pellets on the concrete floor.  
  
"Rabbit!" cried The Spine. "Rabbit! Hatchworth, let go, I won't kill Peter, I promise!"  
  
But Hatchworth had already let go and was staring in horror at his sister. "Rabbit?"  
  
The Spine wriggled out from under him and scrambled to Rabbit, examining her hastily. He pulled off the battered top hat and gasped. There was a bullet hole.  
  
Peter popped open Rabbit's head panel and said, "That isn't it. The bullet stopped against the inner protective shell."  
  
The Spine tore off the old black vest and flipped Rabbit over, frantic. It couldn't be. He knew, he knew the price, should Hatchet fail to fulfill her commitment. But so quickly?  
  
There was another bullet hole through the back of Rabbit's black shirt. He tore the flimsy fabric and saw it. Almost at the center of the back, slight angle to the trajectory...  
  
It had struck her core... and her core was dark.  
  
"No..." he whispered. "Not Rabbit..."  
  
"Get her to lab 3, Spine!" Peter ordered.  
  
The Spine stared up at him in despair. "She's... she's dead... You did this..."  
  
"I'm the only one who stands a chance of saving her, Spine. You want to kill me, at least give me the chance to fix Rabbit, okay?"  
  
"This was why she did it!" The Spine sobbed, breaking down. "This..."  
  
"I'll take her, Peter," Hatchworth said quietly. He pulled Rabbit from The Spine's limp hands and carried her from the room.  
  
"Why did you do it... If we had kept moving, we would have arrived before the police came... Why did I tell Hatchet to wait for me? She wanted to leave... she was trying to save us, Peter... she had no choice... she tried to leave before... before it was one of you..."  
  
"She did?"  
  
"She said it was dangerous to stay... I just wanted a little more time with her... now they're both gone..."  
  
"No, Spine..." Peter knelt lightly beside him. "Give me time. I don't know what we can do for Hatchet, honestly... But I can try to save Rabbit. Are you up to helping me?"  
  
The Spine hung his head, trembling. "I don't know. I just want to shut down... I can't bear anymore..."  
  
"How long has it been since you've been in stasis?"  
  
"Don't know... go, Peter. Save Rabbit, at least..."  
  
"Spine..."  
  
"I'll make sure he shuts down, Peter," Matt said. "I always could handle them when they got tired..."  
  
Peter turned and stared. "They're alive. And they're mimes." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "Not now. I can't accept delivery. Stop it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Fine, Matt. Janelle. I've filed this shock away to be faced later. I don't have time right now to freak out the way I really want to... Yes, please take care of The Spine." He pulled out his phone as he rushed out the door. "Leo, lab 3, now! Yeah, I 'm talking to you, this is serious. Bring Carolina!" They could hear him down the hall. "What do you mean, she's acting funny?"  
  
Matt walked toward The Spine, who remained slumped on the floor, black tears dripping onto his pants. He heard a sob behind him and turned guiltily. He had almost forgotten, this place felt so familiar...  
  
"Matt?" Janelle said tearfully. "Where are we?"


	23. Settling The Spine, Michael "Automaton" Reed - NinjaPastry

 

Leo jumped up from Hatchet's body after turning off the lasers, running from the H.O.W. and to lab 3 which wasn't that far. He slipped the pocket watch into his pocket, turning the corner and suddenly feeling his body stripped of skin and recovered. Not again...

He looked to his feet and saw his old army boots, the ones he got from his father's closet after he died. His skin looked like lava and the rock above it, cracked, ash black, burning. His eyes were glowing like the robot's lights and his his pins and medals were sewn and strung upon his uniform, the green camouflage filthy with nether ash and blood.

"You've got to be kidding me," he breathed. Forced into the underworld, he saw a slim and dark figure stand before him as he floated above the darkness, surrounded by flames.

"Ardo," Grimm growled, "Give it to me."

"No," he relied. Ardo was his nickname in the underworld, as all have one. For instance, if Michael were to go there, his would be Chel, Matthew would be Ttew, and even Hatchet is Chet. It was Grimm's way of making everyone seem insignificant to his superior 5 letter name.

"Now," Grimm hissed. A large boney hand reached down and gripped Leo's whole body, consuming him in the dryness and coldness of his grip.

"I don't know what you want!"

"The watch!" he screamed. Leo nodded and manage to grab the pocket watch from his pocket and toss it into the air, the hand letting him go. He fell to the floor and found himself back in his own skin and clothes, laying upon the floor of Lab 3.

Peter looked to him and scoffed, ripping apart the back of Rabbit's dress to get to the core.

=

"So you're telling me we're in a different dimension in a mansion filled with robots and pale people with blue in their blood and that you aren't Matt, you're Matt?" Janelle the Mime asked. She, Matt the Captor, and Spine all walked down the hall, the long way so that they wouldn't pass Lab 3.

"Yeah," Matt replied. He watched her wipe black lipstick from her lips, revealing red lips in place. He did he same thing to his own, shivering a bit. Gross. "But it's complicated. That was just the short answer..."

They walked to the door, the light coming from the inside lighting the now dark hallway. Matt held up a hand to tell them to stay there, then slipped into the room. There a ladybot lay, supposedly to be unseen by The Spine. He cautiously dragged her body out the other door, her whole body being consumed by a quick flare of the underworld. He shrugged it off and turned around, walking back into the H.O.W. and waving the two in.

Janelle walked the robot in and helped him sit upon a large hammock of wires, Matt wiping his makeup off and undressing him as he sat there, the oil not stopping from flowing down his face as he silently cried. He said nothing as Matt worked, then spoke up right before Matt shut him off; "Everyone I love is dying..."

=

The Wheel, tears forming in her bright green eyes, watched as Dave and Bun sat Michael Philip Walter-Reed upright. She had to give the iPad over and was waiting for the moment to turn him on. Peter would be in the room, but everyone was busy. It was now just the twins and the two.

Michael's body was strong, two blue matter tubes protruding from his temple, crossing behind his head and pulled down his front to be attached to his core. Two more were protruding from the side and hooking to the curves in his shoulders, snaking in and out of his arms.*

She sat across from him in her best dress, the one he liked the most; it was a halter top dress, slim to her fit, and it had ruffles on the bottom that made her waist look thinner and her hips look wider. Two pink laces were wrapped around her chest at the bottom of her bra around to the back to hold her battery in place, as well as one right above the ruffles to do the same deed.

Her black and pink hair was put into curls by Bun's help and some fell next to her face, the rest tied back into a pony tail. Michael sat with boxers on (a random pair given to Dave by Leo that he had bought just for the occasion of Matt and Mike's reawakening).

"Ready?" Dave asked. The Wheel nodded and held her hands to her engine, swinging her bare legs and feet from the table she sat upon. Bun reached behind Mike and Dave stood back, Michael's eyes starting a blue glow, the tubes and his core beaming with light, then cooling off as everything settled in. He looked around, then oil dripped from his mouth.

"Janelle?"

 


	24. Steve's Tea Party, Rabbit Repairs, Hatchy's Redemption, and Matt x 2 - Whistler

"Jammy dodger, love?"  
  
Emmeline accepted the cookie.  
  
"Can she eat them?" Steve asked.  
  
"No, I just want one."  
  
Steve grinned. "Good enough for me."  
  
"What is the object of this game?" asked Upgrade, awkwardly holding her teacup.  
  
"It's not a game. It's tea," said Dr. Lennox.  
  
"You drink it, Upgrade," said Steve, his eyes on Dr. Lennox. She glanced at him and her cheeks grew pinker. Oo, that's promising, he thought. Unless I'm just creeping her out and that was an awkward blush... Dang it, Steve...  
  
"Will it agree with my boiler?"  
  
"Should be fine."  
  
"Why isn't Rabbit here?" she asked.  
  
Steve's smile faded. "She's helping Peter, remember?"  
  
"She has been helping him for a long time..."  
  
"It's a big job. Here, have a jammy dodger."  
  
Upgrade accepted the cookie and stuffed it into her mouth.  
  
"Dang it, I'm gonna have to clean that up later."  
  
\-----------  
  
"She had her dress on under the mime costume?" asked Leo, getting to his feet hastily. "Why?"  
  
"I've learned not to ask." Peter tipped Rabbit onto her side and popped open the rear access panel with difficulty. "She had to have the F-cups! This would be so much easier if I could lay her on her front..."  
  
Leo tipped the robot forward and held her steady as Peter wiggled the plate free.   
  
"Come on, Rabbit..." he muttered anxiously as he reached in and flipped up Rabbit's bellows for a clear view of the rear portion of the core.  
  
"Pierced the bellows too. That'll have to be replaced..."  
  
"If she's still functioning."  
  
"Shut up, Leo!" Peter snapped. Leo raised an eyebrow. "Sorry. It's been a long day..."  
  
"Yeah, it has."  
  
Peter shivered as he unscrewed the boiler and laid it on the table. "Did I do the right thing, Leo? About Hatchet?"  
  
"What choice was there?" Leo said as reassuringly as he could manage. He wasn't really the nurturing type. "She was dangerous."  
  
"So I'm told, but... how do I know for sure? Maybe I just broke The Spine's heart on hearsay. How sick would that be?"  
  
"Look, I know you feel bad for him, but I can promise you this... You did the right thing."  
  
Peter looked up at Leo. "I won't ask how you know. Thanks for the reassurance, anyway."  
  
"No problem," Leo sighed.   
  
Peter pulled a pen light from his pocket and aimed it inside of Rabbit's body. "Oh..."   
  
He let out a long sigh and laughed weakly. "It's just grazed the output wire!"  
  
"You're kidding..."  
  
"She just went into emergency shutdown mode until we could remove the foreign body!"  
  
"You called me in a panic over Rabbit going into emergency shut down? It's a good thing I didn't drag Carolina with me..." Not that he could have, considering the way he'd arrived.  
  
Peter turned his mask toward Leo and stood staring for a long moment before his knees gave way.  
  
"Whoa!" cried Leo, catching him and half-tossing him into a chair. Luckily Peter was thin as a rail... "What the..."  
  
Peter rubbed his sleeve across his head above the mask. He was suddenly sweating like crazy. "She's gonna be okay... I was sure that was just one more way I'd screwed up lately. Leo, do you have any idea how close I came to dying ten minutes ago..."  
  
"How did you..." Leo began. The scroll Hatchet had carried had slipped to the floor after she fell. Leo saw no reason to tell Peter whose name he had glimpsed upon it.  
  
"Oh, Spine, y'know," Peter went on, oblivious. "He was angry, of course... I've never seen him so angry. He really loved her, Leo. He said she wasn't coming for anyone here, but... You ever just feel like something is stalking you?"  
  
"Only every day of my life, Peter," Leo said carefully.  
  
Peter snorted. "Right. Forgot who I was talking to. The question is, what happens when he wakes up? Will he remember what happened and decide to finish the job?"  
  
"Best not to think about it," said Leo quickly. Peter's name was on that paper... Would the one who put it there give up so easily? "I'll get another bellows from the supply room. You... get a snack or something before we get to work. You look like a skeleton." He stiffened, saw that Peter seemed unperturbed, and hurried out.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchworth peered into the Hall of Wires cautiously. There was no sign of her. He did see Matt Smith and the little mime girl.  
  
"Hatchy! How's Rabbit?" Matt asked quietly.  
  
"I do not know!" he said mournfully. Hatchworth moved quietly into the room, looking worriedly at his brother. "How is The Spine?"  
  
"I dunno, either. It'll help if Peter repairs Rabbit. I can't remember seeing The Spine this broken up before."  
  
"Rabbit told me that he has lost many girls over the years. They always die or leave. Why did he marry the worst one of all?"  
  
"Was she so terrible?"  
  
Hatchworth stared at him. Matt glanced at Jan.  
  
"Yeah, tell me later. I'd like to go see how Rabbit's doing, maybe assist. Can you take Jan to get something to eat?"  
  
Hatchworth looked at him gratefully. This was the very thing to distract him from his worry. If Rabbit was dead and The Spine heartbroken... Hatchworth wasn't usually given to feelings of guilt but to his dismay he was feeling quite a lot of it today. He knew Hatchet was trouble... but he also knew that The Spine, as tough as he was on the outside, had the heart of a kitten. And they had gotten together and stomped on it.  
  
He felt about as bad as a sandwich making oven-bot could feel.  
  
He beamed at the little girl. "Come along, child. I will make you the perfect sandwich."  
  
But Jan grabbed onto Matt. "I don't want to go with the robot!" she gasped.  
  
Of course. He had almost forgotten that he had abducted her from her parents. As he understood it, humans found that sort of thing mildly unsettling.  
  
"Alright, come with me while I check on the other robot." Matt hugged her and reached a hand out behind his back as he passed Hatchworth, who nodded, popped his hatch open, and produced a sandwich. He handed it to Matt quickly as the two left.  
  
At least he'd been able to help a little.  
  
\----------  
  
"You mean that guy who was kissing the cop?" Jan was asking as Matt gripped the sandwich.  
  
"Well, let me explain about that..." Dang it, Rabbit...  
  
By the time they reached the lab, Jan was giggling and eating half of the sandwich. "She sounds funny..."  
  
"That's one approach... Peter! How is she?"  
  
"Oh, good news... it's just a minor repair. Emergency protocols, just a nick to the wrong piece of wiring." His tilted his head down. "Is that ham?"  
  
Matt chuckled. "Want it? It's a big sandwich."  
  
Peter touched his mask, hesitated, and said, "I think you'd better have it. I'll eat a bit later. Keep that mime healthy."  
  
"Right," Matt murmured, troubled. He started to eat. "I want to help with the repairs."  
  
"Well, fine, but... Oh, Leo, good." Peter said quickly. He pulled Leo aside.   
  
Matt frowned as they whispered. What now?  
  
Leo looked at Matt. Matt raised his eyebrows. "What?"  
  
"You've been in charge of that body all day, Matt," said Leo. "Why hasn't the host woken up?"  
  
Matt glanced at Jan. He'd almost forgotten she wasn't really his sister... Where was mime Matt now, anyway? He didn't feel anyone else in there. He just felt like Matt. But he'd felt that way even when the mime was running the show.  
  
Leo grabbed his face in both hands and stared into his eyes.  
  
"Um, dude..." Matt muttered.  
  
Leo released him. "We'll talk later," he told Peter. "Maintain that body. You can assist when you're done eating."  
  
"Sheesh. Okay, dad." Matt was feeling weary and put out but he wasn't complaining. It was a really good sandwich. Still, he couldn't quite relax... he'd heard Leo could perceive spirits. What had he seen in mime Matt's head? Two guys? Or just one?


	25. Home Repair, but not by The Spine... he's busy. - NinjaPastry

"Eighty, forty, sixty," Leo mumbled under his breath as he shifted files about on his desk. He had led the siblings there to give Peter some space. "Twenty!" he shouted, making Jan jump. He handed Matt the file, just to hold, and quickly put away all of the files and grabbed 20 before Matt could even peek at the title card.   
  
"Twenty?" Jan asked, Matt pushing her a little to sit down. "What does the twenty mean?"  
  
"Remedies for twenty year olds stuck in a different body. I am a doctor, after all," he smiled at her, sitting in his chair. Matt sat down as well, the both of them watching as he opened it and ran his finger along some strange glowing lines. Peter shuffled in from behind them and slumped against the wall, holding a hand to his head. Leo looked up and then pressed a finger to his ear, looking back at the file.  
  
"C to 84," was all he said until he looked to Matt and said, "It happens. Stay here."  
  
"It.. what?" Matt asked before the lines formed a rectangle, opened up a portal and sucked Leo in as if it was nothing. It shut, Jan looking to the desk, then to Matt, then back to the desk. "What just happened..."  
  
"It," Jan responded, Peter laughing slightly. Carolina walked in, her hair in a french braid this time and her eyes to the ground. Her arms were behind her back, Peter noticing the wrench and a vile.Her dress was quite slimmer... wonder why...  
  
"Oh," she said when she looked up and saw a girl very similar to Jingle and a mime that looked very similar to a man who was buried in the back. "Matt! Janelle! Wonderful. Janelle, stay here. Matt, follow me."  
  
Janelle put a hand to his arm and glared at the lady, Peter letting out a sigh. "She's not gonna hurt him, Janelle." She looked at Matt and he nodded, Jan hesitantly taking her hand away. Matt stood and followed Carolina. She led him to another room, careful for him to not see the objects. She led him to an abandoned storage room. He stopped in the middle and she walked around him, blocking the doorway.  
  
"Sorry about this," she said. Matt opened his mouth to ask what, then was clocked by the wrench.  
  
=  
  
tap tap tap... tap tap... He shuddered and opened his eyes, feeling someone slip into his arms and lay on him in the wire hammock. The slim figure made him smile, seeing the stars of flames rise from her. Teal lights looked up at him and the stars in her cheeks flared up, making him steam.   
  
"You're dead," he sniffled. She scoffed and lay her head upon his chest, her fingers making swirls on his bare shoulder. Her hair twisted into a bun like someone was behind her and doing it for her (there actually was; a very strong spirit she called T. Ray). "I herd you scream and-"  
  
"Shh," she breathed, "No words." Spine put his hands to the small of her bare back, listening to the usually inaudible screams from inside of her breathe with the steam and the air. "But," she whispered, "I do need to tell you something."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I have to save someone." Save someone was her way of saying take someone's soul. Spine looked to the ceiling, sighing. "Peter is very sick," she huffed, "And he might not make it. Unless Leo, who's seen the scroll, can save him, no longer will there be a born Walter to run the manor..."  
  
"You're lucky your sexy British voice doesn't make me mad," he said, lifting her off by the waist and laying her back on him, her face beside his. He gently kissed her and she kissed back, putting her hands to the side of his face.   
  
She broke the kiss t look at him. "Aren't you worried about him?"  
  
"After what he did, I don't think I ever will again." Hatchet smiled and bent back down, kissing him deeply. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((alright, well,  
> Janelle "The Wheel" Maryanne Smith-Walter:  
> http://37.media.tumblr.com/51672855f9871f3fc8634c116e27169c/tumblr_myfgajXtJ51slpidgo1_500.jpg  
> http://officialthewheel.tumblr.com/post/64327498429/applestickeronaspoopy-the-jon-and-the-wheel  
> http://officialthewheel.tumblr.com/post/64133434375/applestickeronaspoopy-mike-wheel-to-the-lyrics  
> Hatchet Alexis Walter squared:  
> https://31.media.tumblr.com/6d18615069836b429e24d7df4b9df19a/tumblr_n4dp12D61w1rfwmq8o1_500.jpg  
> and that's about it))


	26. Mime Hunt, Leaving Him Sleeping... - Whistler

Carolina snapped the vial into the access portal and entered the code. It began to upload Matt into another tablet. While she waited, she fetched an ice pack for the mime.   
  
She passed the dining room on her way back. "Oh! Hey, Steve? I need some muscle..."  
  
"Say no more, baby," said Lil Steve, clambering out of his teacup. "I knew someday you'd cave in and admit it..."  
  
Steve poked the golem sharply in the side. "Shut it, Lil Steve. What's the problem, Carolina?"  
  
"We've finally got Matt..."  
  
"Oh, thank heaven!" said Dr. Lennox with feeling.  
  
Carolina smiled. She really liked the English scientist. "But, well, the mime is unconscious and... and on the floor."  
  
"What?"  
  
She nodded, embarrassed. It had been the only way, but that didn't mean she was proud of it.  
  
"Just come help me get him on a bed and help him calm down when he wakes, alright? I know you're good at both." With a quick smile, she hurried away with the ice pack.  
  
\----------  
  
Steve grinned and stood. "Duty calls! Y'know, I wonder if I have a mime double, too."  
  
"Nonsense, love. You're one of a kind." Dr. Lennox said daintily around a mouthful of dunked biscuit. Emmeline rolled her eyes. Upgrade stared straight ahead. He was pretty sure the cookie had shorted something out.  
  
Steve beamed at Dr. Lennox, flicked a glance at Lil Steve who he could swear was smirking, then trotted sheepishly after Carolina.   
  
By the time he caught up, however, she was standing in the doorway of an office, looking around frantically.  
  
"Carolina?"  
  
"Where did he go?" she shrieked at last.  
  
Steve snorted. "You're kidding me... he left?"  
  
"He was right here! Down for the count. Uh!" She held up the ice pack in a helpless sort of way as the frustrated squeak escaped her lips. "He needs this!"  
  
"Alright, so we start looking..."  
  
"Yeah!" she agreed, in the exasperated tone of an 11-year-old trying to explain something unsuccessfully. "Trouble is, last thing he knew, he was having the crap kicked out of him in a mime city park! He's not going to know he can speak freely, either! So we're looking for a silent, dizzy guy who has no idea where he is or whether his attackers are still around!"  
  
"Whew! I'd better call in some robots on this," he said, pulling a walkie-talkie from his belt.  
  
"Wait! Which ones?"  
  
"Um... Does it matter? I mean, is there a problem with any particular ones?"  
  
"Yes! I guess The Jon and Upgrade are alright, but Jingle is cuddling an iPad and robot Mike... I don't think she believes he's really in the robot so she's covering all the bases..."  
  
"Stay focused now..."  
  
"Sorry... The day I've had... um, yeah, anyway, Hatchworth seems to have wandered off, The Spine is in his room in stasis because his wife is dead, and Rabbit's been shot!"  
  
"Boy, you take a little time for a nice tea party and... Did you say... where do I start?"  
  
"They're alright, but... how about you call in some Walter Workers instead?"  
  
Steve sighed. "Good plan."  
  
\----------  
  
David, Bunny, Sam, Gary, Meg, and Steve were soon combing the house. Carolina stayed behind in case Mime Matt Smith returned... and to wait for Leo. Matt's upload completed an hour later, and still Leo had not returned. She sighed nervously and opened the tablet.  
  
She opened his file and waited as the communications app activated. "Matt? Can you hear me?"  
  
"Thanks a lot." The tone was flat, dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"You remember..."  
  
"Yeah!" A little more shrill this time.  
  
"I'm so sorry, alright? I couldn't pull you out conscious, it might have killed him outright before his personality could reestablish itself as the dominant one! Leo said it was best to just get it over with!"  
  
"Leo, the medical doctor?" buzzed the irritated voice through the tablet speaker. "That Leo? The one who presumably took a Hippocratic oath? He told you to go Lizzie Borden on me?"  
  
"It was a wrench... And it wasn't you, in case you'd forgotten, who got the bump on the head."  
  
He paused. "Yeah," he said quietly. "Yeah, I kinda had forgotten. Thanks, I guess. So how is he? The mime?"  
  
She giggled nervously. "Well..."  
  
\----------  
  
Walter Guy Sam strolled through the Manor, whistling. He heard a tiny squeak and froze. There was a mouse in the dim hallway.  
  
Sam melted. "Oh, look at you!" he whispered ecstatically, slowly crouching to get a closer look. "It's okay... I won't hurt you... look at those beady little eyes! I bet you're friends with The Jon, huh? Maybe the reason he drops so many sandwiches..."  
  
There was a thunderous crash and the mouse took off. Sam clutched his chest with one hand and put the other on the floor to steady himself, and then laughed, remembering why he had chosen this wing to search first. Matt couldn't stop drumming when he was nervous. He'd thought maybe this guy was the same way. And if there happened to be a drum set, and he happened to find it, well...   
  
Although it sounded as though he'd found it in the dark. He heard what sounded like a cymbal hitting the floor. There were more thumpings and a muffled "oof" and then a light flicked on down the hall. As he stood once more, he heard noises that he assumed were the sound of drums being rearranged. Sam slowly approached the doorway as a few hesitant beats followed by the rhythm of skillful drumming echoed down the hallway.   
  
"Nailed it," he murmured. Sam peered around the corner.  
  
A very pale image of Matt Smith sat at the drums. He was a little thinner, if that was possible, and not quite what Sam had expected... though pale, his face was no longer white. The remains of black lipstick lingered in the creases of his mouth.  
  
Sam was fascinated. Were they really humans, pretending to be mimes. If they were, why?  
  
Mime Matt stopped and looked at him. Two or three heartbeats passed and he scrambled from the stool and backed away, making what appeared to be apologetic gestures.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA there!" Sam cried. The mime froze. "Yeah, that's right. I do not speak mime. I can't even do The Robot. Wow, considering where I work that just sounded wrong. Yeah, anyway, I understand you might be able to speak my language?"  
  
"Ye... yeah..." the mime said softly, eyes wide.  
  
"Alright, good. I'd love to ask you all about that but from what I hear, you'd probably assume the worst. So how about we go get an ice pack for that bump on your head? You did notice you have a head injury, right?"  
  
The mime reached up and touched his head and winced. "I knew I had a headache, but..."  
  
"And you still played the drums?"  
  
"There were here... so..."  
  
Sam suppressed another laugh. They were like twins. No, they were more similar than twins, he realized, thinking of the twins in the manor.   
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"Walter Manor. Welcome. I'd be glad to explain more but I have to tell the others I found you..."  
  
"Am I under arrest? Or... this is a home, isn't it? It's some kind of sanitarium..."  
  
He was growing more agitated. "Whoa! Zero to sixty... calm down, Matt!"  
  
"How'd you know my name? What else do you know?"  
  
Sam stared at him. He wasn't sure where to go with this. He pulled out his phone. "Carolina? I found him, but getting him anywhere is kinda like trying to manage a cornered badger. No, he's not angry, he's scared. Oh, good idea... she'd the only person he's gonna trust. Alright, send her down. And, uh..." He glanced at Matt 2, who was looking at him suspiciously, and whispered, "Steve and a robot or two wouldn't hurt, if you know what I mean."  
  
\----------  
  
"Great! We were almost ready to start systems checks on Mr. Reed 2.0..." Matter Master David glanced at his sister and sighed, "I mean Michael." He turned off his phone.  
  
"Why do you always call him that?" Bunny asked.  
  
"I like how it sounds..."  
  
They moved on down the hall, stopping to peer into the HoW as they passed. The Spine appeared to be in stasis in a hammock of wires, from what they could see at that angle. Only the top of his head was visible.  
  
"Too freaked out to store his body this time," Bunny said sadly.  
  
"Poor guy. Why is it always him?"  
  
"Do you think that hammock looks crooked?"  
  
"Maybe we should..."  
  
As they watched, the hammock gently drifted straight and rocked for a moment before growing still.  
  
"Ah... he must have been laying off-center and moved a little. No biggie." David shut the door and they walked away.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchet slipped out of the hammock, still invisible in case they returned, and dressed quickly, thankful they hadn't come in twenty minutes sooner. The Spine was indeed in stasis. She kissed him gently. He smiled and turned his head away.  
  
She found his old duster and pulled it over him like a blanket... she knew it was unnecessary but it didn't seem right to just leave him... the way he was. She watched him, listening to the idling sports car hum of his mechanisms mingled with the occasional hiss of steam, and sighed deeply. Time to get to work... unfortunately.  
  
She could do the job. People died every day. But The Spine... he talked big because he was hurt and angry. If their positions were reversed and it had been The Spine who was attacked, there wouldn't be a single person in the manor, human or robot, still in possession of their immortal soul. She would have seen to it.  
  
But The Spine, while he could be dark and moody, and could even act with terrible rage, was usually gentle, kind, anything but vengeful... unless his family was threatened or hurt. Robot and human alike. He had managed to reach an understanding so far about the necessity of her work, but if he thought that Peter's death had been done with his blessing...  
  
For all the flippant words, he would never forgive himself.  
  
She turned, after using the shining metal of his chassis as a mirror to verufy that she was fulled cloaked in invisibility.. She had delayed as long as she dared, though she would gladly remain... Just this once, for The Spine's sake, she hoped that she would fail... That Leo had found the solution that would ensure that no one paid the price for her failure. If she simply chose not to harvest Peter's soul, there would be a price. But if Leo had found the secret...  
  
She didn't hope to be set free herself, no matter how much she longed to be able to stay with The Spine without fear... the price was surely too high.   
  
She just didn't want to drag her love down with her.


	27. Mimes Go Home, New Robots - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (mg you totally got the whole matt in the vile and spatchet alone time you are so awesome omg)) - NinjaPastry

SMACK! Leo laughed and fell onto his back, the layers of his skin sewing back together over his strong muscles. Another scar appeared across his cheekbone, but he didn't mind. He grasped hold of a vile in his hand, two to be exact, and smiled as he sat up. The wall of the office he currently resided in. He turned around and stood, seeing the misty figure standing in the doorway.  
  
"Aw c'mon now Chet," he smiled, "You don't scare poor little orphan Ardo." He hesitated for her reply, her appearance, but he said nothing. He grabbed the blue vile and held it up, feeling the space between them shorten.   
  
He saw how there was a small dent in her neck, as if she was held down by someone or something, but she saw the thin line from the side of his right eye down to the slight caved-in look of his jaw bone.   
  
"Are you sure it's going to work?" Hatchet asked, pulling her hood down of her dress. Leo nodded and she smiled, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, hesitantly, then let go as she did. "Thank you, Leo. I don't want my siblings hating me more than they already do, especially Hatchworth."  
  
"Now I never said they wouldn't not hate you," Leo remarked. He walked to his desk, pushing his chair in. "Got any idea of where Peter went?" he asked the spirits around them. Some started being pulled into Hatchet's soul keeper, but Leo didn't pay attention to that.   
  
The freed ones floated away from them, out the door. Leo ran after it to leave Hatchet to herself or follow, but she choose the later.  
  
=  
  
"Just don't be mean," Sam said in a hushed voice over the com system in hopes of Hatchet hearing him. She did, her figure floating in the ballroom. Jon and UpGrade shuffled the trashing body of Matt the Mime into the ballroom between them, Carolina and Sam running forward and waving at the figure to open the portal. Steve was pushing Matt from behind, UpGrade and Jon having grips on the mime's biceps.  
  
"Let me go! let me go!" he begged, his voice cracking in desperation. "You can't send me back there! Please!"  
  
With a major slash in the air with her scythe, a green and pink looking portal appeared and swirled like a galaxy before the five of them. "Janelle will join you soon," UpGrade shouted to Matt, "I Promise!"  
  
With a great force, Jon and UpGrade threw Matt the Mime into the portal and Hatchet shut it by waving her hand as if she was sewing the portal up. They all stood in complete silence, looking around to each other. Hatchet looked to Carolina and made a "hmpf" sound.  
  
"I like what you've done with your hair, darling," she said, then disappeared.   
  
UpGrade turned to Steve and smiled, then fell face-first into Jon and then they both collided onto the floor. Jon began to whimper and flail in confusion as to why she was laying upon him. Steve groaned and scooped her light-weight body off of him and shook his head.  
  
"Dang you stupid robotic pains in my-"  
  
"Mr. Negrete," Sam glared. Steve waved his hand at him and kept walking, Jon helped to his feet by Carolina.   
  
=  
  
"Michael," Jingle said with a smile, "Your eyes are so blue, it's just like the old you!" He laughed as she played with his new hands and all of his blue matter tubes, loving how curious she was. He'd missed this; the sweetness of her voice and the smile of the pink swirls on her face.   
  
He put his free hand to her face and ran his thumb across the metal, making her stop her childish smiling and watch the memories cross his face of how he would do this with his human hands, not the robot hands. She glitched, her eye shutting and then opening, and he smiled a little.   
  
"I love you," he sighed. He steamed a little and she smiled at him, letting him pull her in for a kiss, a kiss she wished for for so long. She let go of his other hand so he could wrap his arms around her backside right as David and Bunny walked in with surprised looks on their faces.   
  
Carolina walked in behind them, handing Bunny a vile and helping with tying Matt's wrists and feet to the table with David. The three looked to the robots and David cleared his throat. Michael had pulled her onto the table ad was a very grabby robot, so to say. She looked up and rolled off of him, fixing her hair and dress. Michael snickered, running his hand down her battery pack and making her smile.   
  
"You two ready?" Bunny asked. Jingle nodded, suddenly feeling none of Michael's touching. He looked to the table, putting his hands in his lap. Michael held the boiling steam inside of him, the blue of his basically everything lighting the room a bit more. Jingle's green eyes glazed over with a thin layer of oil, as if she was about to cry. She was, really. Her brother was now like her.   
  
They'd done so much together and the fact that he stayed alive to see her again put a wrench in her systems to thin of him as anything less than dead. It was just better to not think of their bodies laying in metal coffins six feet underground all in a row.   
  
Michael felt the pain of regret and guilt for killing him. It was an accident, a pure accident, and this was the product: metal heads and broken memories of being lost in transmissions and taking over bodies of the alternate universe.   
  
Matt was asleep, tired and worn from the travelling and body pains, but he was stirred awake by something in the back of his neck. His fingers twitched. It felt like hi hands were in little Chinese finger traps, unable to move all the way. his arms felt as if someone had wrapped them in cardboard, same with his legs. His face was like after washing it with skin-drying soap, the skin all non-stretchy and stiff until you yawn and make stupid faces to feel somewhat back to normal again.   
  
His eyes opened slowly, Bun and Dave taking notes as Carolina stood back. Steam rose from the cracks in his face plates and he finally sat up as David unbuckled his wrists from the table. He slumped over, rubbing his eyes with his fists. His back creaked and Bun put a hand to his chest, sitting him upright.  
  
"M.. Matt!" Jingle cried out, jumping off the table and running to him, putting her arms around his shoulders. He looked to the girl, then to Michael who waved at him awkwardly. He felt his whole body shake and a pain rip through his engine. He let out a cry and hugged his little sister tightly, shutting his eyes as he felt her again. He felt her presence and was finally able to hug her again.  
  
"Everything's over," he cried into her, "everything's over." All of the pain, all of the hatred, all of the yelling, all of it. Everything. Carolina excused herself from the room to wipe her tears, Dave and Bun looking away so Matt didn't see them crying. Michael walked over to them and unbuckled Matt's feet and Jingle let go so that they could hug it all out, in which they did.   
  
"I'm so sorry," Michael said before letting the oil drip down his face. Jingle smiled and Matt patted Michael's back.  
  
"Everything's over," Matt repeated with a smile, looking to Jingle and coughing on a cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((the feels. i started crying writing this XD)) - NinjaPastry


	28. Peter's Close Shave, Reassuring Matt, Arguing with Rabbit, Steve's Romance Progresses - Whistler

"I feel fine."  
  
"You don't look fine."  
  
"Oh? What is it? My pale face? Coated tongue?"  
  
"Yes, I know, you don't have a face, Peter. But that's not going to matter if you don't let me inject you with this!"  
  
"Rabbit isn't online yet."  
  
"Rabbit isn't going anywhere. You, on the other hand..."  
  
"I hate being interrupted."  
  
"All the more reason to drop your pants."  
  
"Does it have to be injected into my butt?"  
  
"No, I just like embarrassing you."  
  
Peter turned and began to unfasten his sleeve. The chance to defy Leo was irresistible, and well Leo knew it. Just because the two worked well together and shared a mutual respect didn't mean they didn't have their share of professional rivalry.   
  
"Alright, have it your way..." Leo began, trying to sound sullen instead of triumphant. He frowned.  
  
Peter stopped and seemed to be staring at his hands.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
The scientist crumpled without a sound.   
  
"Too late!" gasped Leo, dropping to the floor next to him and checking his neck for a pulse.   
  
"No," said a quiet voice, accented with faint screams. "Not yet."  
  
She was standing behind him. It made his skin crawl a little... only a little. He was getting a little jaded about it all, really...   
  
But he didn't hesitate a moment longer. Tearing Peter's sleeve lengthwise, he stuck in the needle and emptied it.   
  
"Come on... Come on, you idiot... stupidest genius I ever met..."  
  
Hatchet gasped in apparent anguish. Before Leo could ask her what was wrong, Peter shuddered and sucked in a deep breath. He began clawing at his mask. Leo tugged at the fastening and removed it, squinting against the swirling blue vortex. But Peter seemed relieved; he lay still once more, taking deep breaths and coughing alternately.  
  
"Say something..."   
  
"Rabbit... screwdriver..." He head drooped to one side.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"He'll live..." Hatchet said in a trembling voice.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"I won't be punished... but he's not happy." She muffled what sounded like a sob. "He... he can't demand any more until tomorrow. Thank you."  
  
"Does it matter where you are? I mean, is it based on your location, or was this a fluke?"  
  
"It isn't usually, but it's just like him to..." Her voice closed off. The wailing of the dead reached a crescendo and faded once more.  
  
He stood and turned toward her. To his surprise, she was smiling.  
  
"I have to go," she sighed happily.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Well... by my reckoning, The Spine should be completing his stasis cycle in about half an hour. I have until midnight tonight."  
  
"Right. Well, just don't let the others see you two around the manor."  
  
"They won't."   
  
She smiled, and he suddenly realized why.  
  
His neck suddenly felt rather warm. "Ah, yes. Well. Might I recommend deactivating Qwerty as soon as you get there?"  
  
"I already did," she purred. "I'm not that kinky." She winked and faded away.  
  
He stared at the spot where she had been, smiling to himself. There was much that was troubling about Hatchet, but... The Spine had nice taste... very nice. And he was very glad of the warning... He'd had work to do in the Hall of Wires, but no force on Earth was going to get him in there today.  
  
Peter groaned and made a noise suspiciously like gagging. Oops, he should have expected that; the drugs he had administered were strong, and often caused stomach upset. Still, vomiting was better than dying.  
  
Snatching a bucket and washcloth from the lab sink, Leo hurried to tend to his patient.  
  
\----------  
  
"We have to make sure they're okay, got it? I got them into this. And I don't just mean making sure they're off the hook. Get Jan out of that house! I watched my own little sister go through it. I can't just leave his..."  
  
"Matt, calm down! You're still adjusting..." Carolina said soothingly.  
  
Leo strode into the room. "We'll monitor the situation, Mr. Smith. I'm not too easy about it myself. David, Bunny, could you go and complete Rabbit's repairs?"  
  
"Peter finally ran himself into the ground, huh?" David asked. "Did you find him asleep across Rabbit again?"  
  
"What about the time he was snoring with the screwdriver halfway up his nose?" giggled Bunny as they hurried out.  
  
"Oh, but that was before..."  
  
"Right..."  
  
"He's in bed with a stomach virus, actually," Leo called after them.  
  
"Oh. Poor guy. Well, we should check on The Spine. We might need his help..."  
  
Leo darted around the corner and stopped them. "The Spine is to be left alone!"  
  
"Sheesh, fine! Why?"  
  
"He's in mourning... he needs time..."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No one is to enter the Hall of Wires the rest of the day, understood?"  
  
"Alright, alright!"  
  
Hatchworth trotted along the hallway. "Stop your fussing! I can hear you all over this house. My brother Spine is sad. I will help with sister Rabbit."  
  
"Fine." They hurried away.  
  
"So you'll help them? The mimes?" Matt asked anxiously as Leo returned, his new eyelids clicking as he stared the man down.  
  
"I will... if necessary. They're being examined by the authorities now. They'll find that neither of them is in possession of a voice."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I saw to it. A mysterious tincture from Brazil mixed with elements from various locations in Kazooland. Painless, odorless, quick results."  
  
"So they'll drop all charges..."  
  
"Correct."  
  
Matt sighed. "But... that's fine for them, but what about the next kid born with a voice?"  
  
The room was quiet. "They had the choice, Matt. I sent Janelle with the drug. They chose to take it."  
  
"What choice did they have..."  
  
Carolina said quietly, "What about the parents, Leo? What about the little girl?"  
  
Leo smiled at her. Her cheeks grew bluer and she became very interested in tightening a bolt on Matt's shoulder. Leo's eyebrows raised in surprise.  
  
"Well... I... ahem, yes, well, in the process of examining her, they'll find bruises... old and new ones. I'm sure they'll lead to x-rays and a lot of questions. I doubt she'll be living with her parents for much longer."  
  
"Is that good news, though? The system..."  
  
"Is not where she'll end up. She has an older brother she can live with... One who no doubt will welcome her warmly, if he is anything like his human counterpart. But as I said, I will keep tabs on them both. I understand the Walters have connections there and can influence decisions as needed. Failing that, I guess we kidnap her again."  
  
Matt opened his mouth and then shut it with a clank. "He made a joke."  
  
"I didn't know he did that," Mike said. He had until now been rather absorbed in holding Matt's sister on his lap.  
  
"I thought he was all business," Matt went on.  
  
"He is," Carolina said dully. She walked out. Leo stared after her, scratching his head.  
  
"Is she... mad?" he asked absently.  
  
"Humanity is wasted on some people," Mike said to no one in particular.  
  
\----------  
  
"I missed the tea party!" howled Rabbit.  
  
"This is the thing you're fussing about?" Bunny scolded.   
  
"I bet Upgrade ate all the jammy dodgers!"  
  
"You nearly died! The Spine is a basket case! And she shorted out after the first one."  
  
"Steve is cleaning her out now," said Hatchworth, holding Rabbit in place.  
  
Rabbit folded her arms and stuck out her lip, angry tears squeezing from her eyes.  
  
"And I wrecked my old vest gettin' shot! I was gonna sell it on eBay."  
  
Bunny sighed. "Come on. You'll thank us all later for saving your life."  
  
"I'm a hero! I got shot bringing up the rear. I at least oughta get afternoon tea!"  
  
Bunny opened her mouth to order Rabbit to the paint shop to remove the white paint and refinish her face plate and hesitated. Rabbit had a point.   
  
Bunny looked at David, sharing a twin moment. He nodded and she smiled.  
  
\----------  
  
"Another tea party?" asked Dr. Lennox.  
  
"To hail the conquering hero," Steve explained. "Back before the chassis change, Rabbit was a decorated war hero already. She just got shot in the line of duty, providing rear guard for a little girl. We figure the least we can do is let her have her tea party."  
  
"But it's eleven in the morning! And you've got... what is that?"  
  
"Uh, Pocky. We ran out of jammy dodgers. Rabbit loves Pocky, though."  
  
"But doesn't it go straight to her boiler?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"You must let me show you Emmeline's disposal chamber before I go."  
  
"Her what?"  
  
"My stomach," said Emmeline over the piece of wire she was bending into the shape of a pony.  
  
Steve snorted. "You don't have a... You have a stomach?"  
  
"A garbage disposal. I thought she'd need to appear human right down to consuming food, at times, so I built her and the others with a food storage chamber. You can take it out and dump the contents."  
  
Steve could swear his eyes had stars in them. He was positive he was in love now... if not with her, then with her robotics skills.  
  
"Could you... would you... Carol, would you be willing... to do me the honor..."  
  
"Oh, my goodness, the honor of what?"  
  
"Of giving me detailed instructions on how to retrofit the Walter robots with garbage disposals?"  
  
She laughed merrily. "It would be a lot of work!"  
  
"A labor of love," he sighed. "You have no idea what it would mean to me. Seriously."  
  
She beamed. "Alright, love. After the tea party, we'll go out to lunch and discuss it, as well as the artificial skin your Mr. Walter seemed to find so fascinating. I could murder for a curry..."  
  
"Lunch! Great..." He looked at Emmeline.  
  
"Just us," said Dr. Lennox.  
  
Emmeline nodded. "I don't want to be watching if you two start snogging."  
  
"Emmeline!"  
  
"No, the girl has a point," Steve laughed, winking.  
  
Dr. Lennox grinned but her cheeks were very pink.  
  
Steve was sure he wasn't imagining it this time. It was going to be an interesting lunch.  
  
Now he just had to find a place that served curry.


	29. Carolina's Awkward Situation, New Robots and Music, The Spine is Freaking Randy and Is Starting to Exhibit Troubling Behaviors... Poor Jon. - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the liberty of making one correction in here... The Cavalcadium automatically replaces the word "whore" with "promiscuous lady." It gave me a good laugh when I posted a fic there that had the term "attention whore." LOL So I saw in here the replacement phrase and restored it. - Whistler

The look Chelsea was giving Carolina while in the kitchen was a look no other could not recognize. It was the look of a obvious secret that they weren't aware of they were bearing and showing about. Carolina was already occupied with making sure the dough for Peter's "Get Better Soon" cake order was perfect, just they way she wanted it and jut the way he liked it.  
  
After a while of Chelsea's snickering and slight gasps-to-laughs, Carolina smacked down the rolling pin and glared at her quite annoyed. "What? What is so freaking funny?"  
  
"I know!" she laughed, wiping the icing from her hands onto her apron. "I know you like him!"  
  
Carolina's cheeks turned a bright baby blue and she looked to her friend with wide eyes. "Hm?"  
  
"I know you like Sir Kinglser the Third," she mocked a fancy accent, tossing a towel in the air dramatically. Carolina would steam if she could, gripping the dough with her other hand. The other only laughed more, dancing about. Thank goodness they were alone in the kitchen until speak-of-the-devil walked in.  
  
He was looking to his phone, the girls snapping to attention and standing like toy soldiers in the kitchen behind the island. Leo looked to them, smiled, then slipped his phone into his pocket. "At ease," he bellowed. Chelsea grinned and Carolina's cheeks only grew brighter.  
  
Leo walked from the doorway to the fridge, grabbed a Fitz's soda orange cream pop and walked right back out without another word. "That's what those are for," Carolina mumbled to herself. The other laughed loudly and went back to icing-making as Carolina continued to knead the dough.  
  
=  
  
"He played the two cent show..." Jingle sang softly as Michael played with his new hands. Banjos were hard work now, and the only thing he felt like playing was The Suspender Man. As he strummed, Matt beat along on the drums, testing out the hydraulics in his wrists.  
  
"Oh, all the children sing and dance his banjo sounds instill a trance.," Jingle continued, "By 4 AM the press was hot, Suspender Man on the front page spot..."They paused so Matt could readjust his drum sticks. Apparently the metal of his hands weren't working well with the stream and the sticks for they kept slipping out due to the glossy overcoat.  
  
"Matt, do you wanna just stop?" Michael offered, strumming a bit more before handing it to Jingle to try out. She strummed the tune of Honeybee as Michael stood from his stool and walked to Matt's drum set. The amount of frustration written into the blue swirls of his face were enough to make Michael back away.  
  
"You didn't have to look my way," they heard, "Your eyes still haunt me to this day, but you did..." They both looked to Jingle who was standing in the middle of the studio. There was no more banjo, but a violin in her grip, a bow in the other hand. The bum of the violin was tucked under her chin and her feet were bare, one with the heel in the air, as if she were wearing very high heels.  
  
"You didn't have to say my n-name," she shorted, her foot rising slightly into the air before tucking under her and making her spin on the ball of the other foot. Her eyes were closed in concentration, but she looked happy for some reason to such a dark and sad song. "Ignite my engine and start a-a-aflaame," she glitched. Michael walked towards her but she brushed him off by holding out the violin to him, letting him take it from her, and popping her battery out to fall to the floor.  
  
Matt and Michael exchanged worried looks. "It's been a long time since she's shut off," Michael said, "I think..."  
  
"I can carry her to her room," Matt said, standing from the drum set and walking over to her. He lifted her up and over his shoulder, looking back to Michael while he picked up the battery. Michael patted Matt's back and gently kissed Janelle's head. Matt left him alone in the room, leaving the room to the total silence.  Since when does Jingle know how to play the violin?   
  
=  
  
"Silver and polished... Just the way I like it," Hatchet smirked as Spine awoke from his stasis. Her fingers were making little circles across his chest and dancing around his core. She poked the glass and he bit his lip, making her laugh. "I forgot you all had sensors there..."  
  
"Mine are a bit more sensitive no thanks to you," he growled playfully. Hatchet laughed and he laughed right along, letting him play with her hair.  
  
Their laughter and little moans filed the H.O.W., some heard from past the door. Jon, curls abouncin and his hummin agoin was walking past as Hatchet hummed and sighed, what it sounded like to him. He stopped and pressed an ear to the door in curiosity, confused once he heard Spine growl and hit something, a loud squeal following.  
  
Jon's hand slowly wrapped around the doorknob and he turned it, peeping into the H.O.W. just as Hatchet fell from the hammock and lay there, appalled, then laughed. Jon watched curiously as she started to take off her dress, just the amour, then Spine get out of the hammock.  
  
"Spine?" Jon asked, opening the door more. Hatchet looked to him and gasped, flipping up her hood. Jon heard something zip up as Spine turned around to face him, angry. "Who was that? Was that her?"  
  
"None of your business," Spine barked. Jon whimpered and cowered back, spine walking to the door and slamming it in Jon's face. The door his Jon's nose and oil started to drip from it like a bloody nose, making him cry out in pain and run down the hall to Leo's office, oil dripping down his face little by little, drips of the black liquid smearing onto his bowtie.  
  
Leo stood from his chair and looked at him strangely, handing him a towel as Jon cried a bit more. Leo walked over to the doorway of his office and saw the door of the H.O.W. with a black smudge on it, most likely the oil from Jon's bleeding nostril.  
  
"He slammed it on me!" he cried out, "and he wouldn't tell me who the girl in his room was!" Leo looked back to Jon as he slumped into the waiting chair and sniffled, wiping his nose of the oil. The Colonel sighed, looking down the hall again. Hatchet... UpGrade walked right past the office and then stepped back, looking in on The Jon.  
  
"What happened?" she asked, walking over to him and sitting beside him. She grabbed the towel from him and held it to his face for him while he grabbed her free hand and held it.  
  
"Spine hit me," Jon whined, UpGrade's green eyes opening wide.  
  
"He did WHAT?!"  
  
"And there's a girl in his room," he confessed. She looked to Leo and he sighed, biting his lower lip a little.  
  
"Don't let him know I said this, but that girl is um... Hatchet-"  
  
"WHO?!" UpGrade screamed, standing up instantly. "What in Walter's good name is he doing with that.... whore?!"  
  
"Hey now," Leo said, putting his hands out. Hatchet wasn't all that bad after he got to know her, so hearing her say that kinda made him mad.  
  
"She's deadly! She's going to kill him!" she shrieked.  
  
"UpGrade," Leo growled, "he's married to her. Why would she-"  
"Married! Are you SERIOUS!"  
  
"Up...Upgrade.. erg... Attention!" he yelled. The two looked to him, the flashbacks of the war crossing their minds. Jon stood tall, as did UpGrade, their arms going to their sides and oil dripping down UpGrade's face in fear of Spine's well being.  
  
"I'm sure Spine is sorry for hurting you, Jon. UpGrade, they are happy. Hatchet and Spine love each other very much. Spine is safe because of her, and so are you, Jon, Hatchworth, Rabbit, The Wheel, Michael, and Matt. All nine of you are going to live because of her, herself included. Okay?"  
  
UpGrade said nothing, staring straight ahead. Leo looked to the floor and walked to her her field of vision, looking down to her. "Okay?" he repeated. She nodded, mumbling a soft "yessir," before he nodded and looked to them.  
  
"At ease," he said. Jon and UpGrade put a hand to their foreheads and slashed it out, saluting him. He saluted right back and UpGrade went back to Jon's aid, the both of them now shaking as the sounds of gunshots and elephant wails filled their heads.


	30. Emmy gets some toys, Steve's Date - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I seem to be dominating the fic list here but I have so many unfinished fics that I want to get wrapped up before I lose interest. I have original work I want to do and if I start it now these may never be completed. And I wanted move some more over for this one.

"Michael?"

"Yes? Oh... oh! It's you! Come here!"

Emmeline stepped shyly into the room. He was holding a violin but he set it down when she came in and scooped her up like a baby, tossing her in the air.

"Michael! I'm not a baby!" she cried as he set her down.

"You carried, me so I returned the favor," he said with a wink. She was glad she couldn't blush.

""Well, I wanted to help..." And she'd liked getting to chat, just the two of them, once she'd tried it.

"Well, thank you! You did. So, how do you like the new body?"

"It's ever so nice..." she murmured. She rather missed the old one, but there was no sense mourning for it; he made a very handsome automaton as well.

"It'll take some getting used to. But I have something I want to show you."

"Your girlfriend?" she asked blandly, looking at the floor. She'd already spoken to her mother about that... or rather, her mother had lectured her about it. It seemed that even though Emmeline felt sixteen (and told everyone she was eighteen) Dr. Lennox saw her as three. It didn't help help that she really was three...

"She's... sleeping right now," Michael explained. "No, it's something that's just your thing. Come on."

She shrugged and followed him. He led her outside to a very unimpressive old shed. When he opened its doors, however, she gaped in wonder at the contents... rows of shelves lined with parts, pieces, old and fascinating things. There were a few Rabbit face plates visible, a hand that looked like The Spine's, covered in score marks and soot (she really wanted the story behind that!)

"Walter Manor has been accumulating junk for decades. This is where I put the stuff that Rabbit and the others won't let me toss, or that I'm not sure about tossing, or that I may be selling on eBay at some point. I thought you might want to check it out, maybe put some creations together for fun while you're here."

"Thank you!" she cried joyously, throwing her little arms around him. He hugged her back and she sighed. It was really true... he did give the best hugs...

She closed her eyes for a moment and wished she really was eighteen, and that maybe that other girl really had dumped him... she could have sworn he'd said so. But then she felt terrible; mostly it was nice that he was happy. Dr. Lennox hadn't programmed her to be selfish. She gave him one last squeeze and then let him go with a sigh.

"You okay?" he asked, frowning. He tilted up her little chin and looked at her with an exaggerated frown. She giggled. She could fire her rockets now and probably hover just the right height for a kiss...

But she didn't.

"I'm just... really happy. I'm going to go check it out."

"Alright! I'll check on you in a few minutes."

She smiled and hurried toward the treasury of old and amazing things.

\----------

"How did your date go?"

"Hm?" Steve was slumped on the sofa with his feet up, staring at them.

"Your date, Steve," Carolina pressed. "Lunch?"

"No thanks, I just ate..."

"Does that mean it went well?" she asked, puzzled. She sat beside him and examined his face. Completely blank.

"Found out some things."

"Yes?" Do I want to know?

"She's 35."

"Oh, well, that's not much older than you are. I mean, some age gaps are a bit much but..."

"And she's fireproof."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said awkwardly.

He looked at her at last. "Why?"

"Oh! Well. I thought... was that a metaphor?"

"Was what a metaphor?"

"About her being fireproof..."

"What do you think?"

Why? "I mean, are you... I'm sorry, I think I assumed a few things about the nature of your intentions toward Carol..."

His mouth broke into a lopsided grin. He tugged at his collar and showed her a small rosy mark on his neck. "So did she..."

"And she wasn't wrong and neither am I!" Carolina shouted triumphantly. He always had to troll people... "Dang it, Steve!"

"Hey, you look like a Smurf."

"Shut up." She really needed a vacation.

"I just like making Walter Girls blush," he said, wiping the red mark off with his finger.

"What?"

"Borrowed her lipstick. I knew someone would come around nosing..."

"Seriously?"

He nodded. "It went fine, alright? Very promising. If we have any big news we'll let you know. But it's just nice right now. She's open to trying Megaman even though she hasn't played it and she kisses like a..."

Here he blushed.

"Ohhh..." Carolina crooned. "Now we come to it."

"Mind your own business, Carolina," he said pleasantly, getting up to leave.

"Kisses like what? A camel? A stripper? The Spine?"

He hesitated. "Have you kissed any of those?"

"N-no..."

"Neither have I. I intend to keep it that way." He walked out. "Well... the stripper is a possibility..."

"What did you mean when you said she was fireproof?" she called.

He stuck his head around the corner. "She can't catch fire. Heat resistant, too. Side effect of an old experiment gone awry. She picks up tea kettles with her bare hands. It's wicked." He popped back out. She could hear him walking away.

"Okay... so? Why would that subject even come up? Oh, no. No, no, no." She jumped up and ran to the hallway. "You're not really a dragon, Steve!"

"That's not what she said," he called, still walking away.


	31. Steve gets possessed, Awkward Family moments - NinjaPastry

Carolina huffed her bangs from her face and looked to The Jon and UpGrade, walking down the hall with their hands tightly together and dreamy smiles on their faces. They looked so cute together, like they should have been all along... Maybe...

"Steve!" Carolina pressed on, walking briskly to him. He stopped before turning into a room and looked at her. She hauled to a stop right before him and bit her lip. "I need advice. About boys."

Steve grinned and tilted his head a bit, looking her over. "Listen, I know we're both in a 5 year difference range, but I'm not your type," he cooed sweetly at her. She smacked his arm and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away.

"I have a crush on a guy," she mumbled, letting out a sigh and then tossing her arms down. "And he barely notices me."

Steve took a second to lean against the doorway to an office, neither of them seeing who was inside. Carolina looked to Steve and made an awkward face, unsure of really what else to say.

"Name?" Steve asked simply. Then Leo looked up from his papers, seeing red and yellow dyed dreads in the doorway.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"Promise."

She sighed before playing with the hem of her dress. "Leonardo James Kinglser the third..."

Steve stopped leaning on the doorway, looking to her with surprise. "He's 15!"

"I know but he doesn't act like it at all!"

"Because he was in a war, he's an orphan, and he sees dead people!" Steve argued. "He's also way out of your league!"

"What is my league, Steve? What is my type? Hm? You seem to know it so well, don't you?" she shouted. He looked at her with wide eyes and then glared at her, Leo standing from his desk, leaning on it with his hands.

"Your league is apparently neither of us. Not a strong guy. You seem more to be with strong guys, but no. I see you more with The Jon then Leo. A weak man for a weak girl. Perfect," he said, poking her hard in the shoulder. She gasped in surprise and smacked him hard across the face, making him even more mad then he was.

He grabbed her shoulders out of rage that only Leo could see and threw her against the wall, pinning her up with all of his spirit-given might. Leo bounded from over his desk and ran out into the hall, grabbing something from his pocket. Carolina didn't see him, either did Steve, but the spirits did; the bad one fled, the good ones surrounding Steve with careful hands. Leo threw herbs of some kind into the air and then dust, stepping back while Steve let go of Carolina and fell to his knees, then to his side.

"Are you alright, darling?" Leo asked her as she sank to her bottom against the wall. She nodded and looked up at him while he neared her, picking her up gently, with her help, and walking her to his office. "Stay here," he said while she sat, "I'll take care of him."

Carolina nodded and wiped her tears, curling up into a ball upon the seat while Leo left.

=

Matt was just about to leave Jan's room before he heard deafening screech and then a scream, the room flooding with green lights from her eyes. She sat upright quickly and grabbed at her sheets, Matt spinning around slowly and trudging to her bedside.

Another nightmare of back when... the car, then side of the road,... even the whole Beciles and their knife thing got stuck in there. Every time when she had a manual shut down the nightmares would come knocking. Usually she would want Michael to come to her side, but Matt was there at the moment, so she stopped her screaming and he hugged her tightly as she cried into him.

"It's okay," he sighed, "It's alright, Janelle. It's all over," he smiled, looking at her shaking, empty back. The battery was on the charger deck, another one ready to be put into her while she charged in the wall. He looked to it and then to her, hatching an idea.

"I have a question for you,"he said, pulling her gently away from him. "And tell me honestly want you think about it."

She nodded for him to proceed, so he sat at the foot of her bed and she made room for him by crossing her legs, wiping the oil from her face and onto her dress.

"I'm going to ask Peter.. Pappy to do something for me and you. Michael also has a say in this, but it's mostly important for you and you only. I want you to have all of your memories back. I want you to be able to remember when we would play checkers in the Hub with your Totoro doll and my old Panda bear. I want you to be able to..." he paused and sucked up a cry, "I want you to be able to know how I feel now that we live here like this."

She watched his expressions and nodded, grabbing his hands. "As painful as the past may be, even with my nightmares and all, yes. I want them back."

"It'll be hard with you being buried and all, but it can happen. Peter... Pappy always makes it happen." Jan nodded and played with his hands, looking to the door. Peter had snuck up to them and was just turning around to leave when they looked. Without a sound, Matt brought his sister into another hug, letting her shut off in his arms, back into stasis while she charged up her engine.

"I love you," he cried into her shoulder, letting it all go while she slept so peacefully against him. He was suddenly ever so thankful she's never seen him cry.

=

Chelsea sat with Rabbit, pulling out leaves from her face plates while she hummed the tune of "Ghost Grinder". They sat in the tune for a while until Hatchworth joined them and flopped down onto the opposing workshop table, looking over to the closet with a scowl.

"Can't believe him," he sneered as the two girls sat and watched him. "He married a hobbknocker with no place other then her grave!"

"Hatchworth!" Chelsea shouted. "That's no way to speak about anyone!"

"But you don't understand," he persisted, "she's evil! She killed my Pappy! She killed Mike and Matt! She killed Janelle, and all the Peters, and she's even going to kill you some day!"

"Trust The Spine, okay?" Rabbit said, plucking a leaf from her boobs. "I do, so you gots to."

"No I do not. Spine has always made mistakes and he obviously hasn't learned."

"What Ma told us wasn't all the truth, Hatchy!"

"But what Ma forgot to tell you was that she was planning on taking us all apart for her own self!"

"Lies!"

"Greed!"

"Shut up, both of you!" Chelsea shouted, standing from the table.

"Yes," Spine growled from the doorway, Hatchet upon his back with her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck, "Please do shut the nether up." He walked in only in his boxers, a metal plate from Hatchet's arm gauged open, it looked like.

The three watched as Spine walked to the shelves along the far wall and picked out a plate, holding it to hatchet's arm and walking to the table. He grabbed a rivet gun and set her down, kissing her gently before putting the gun to her arm. She took a rag from behind her and bit down on it, shutting her eyes while he undid the rivets and took off the plate.

"See," Rabbit said, "She feels pain. Your words hurt her."

"Said the one who wanted her dead in the first place when she was finally locked away," Hatchworth replied, Spine watching oil drip down Hatchet's cheeks. He wasn't sure if it was from the harsh words, the memories, or the part of her being replaced from his own hands damaging her.

Spine replaced the part and picked up her bra and pantied body, letting her climb back onto his back, the rag still in her mouth. As they passed between Rabbit and Hatchworth, she spit the rag out at Hatchy and left, Chelsea letting out a sigh and continuing to pick leaves out from Rabbit's head piece.

"I wish everything here wasn't so... dramatic..."


	32. Michael Offers Congratulations, Emmy meets a stranger - Whistler

Back in the music room, Michael Reed held up the violin. "I don't even play one of these..." he murmured.  
  
He heard voices in the hallway. "Next time don't be so rough," murmured a low one.  
  
"Don't pretend you don't like it," purred a feminine voice.  
  
"Steve? You listening to dirty podcasts again?" Michael joked.  
  
The Spine stopped in the doorway, a shapely robot girl riding on his back like a child. They were... not wearing much. Michael expected to blush and realized that he was doing it by flashing a brighter blue.  
  
"Um... yeah, hey. Oh, this must be your wife! Hey, I'm Michael Reed. Nice to meet you!"  
  
She stared at him.  
  
"Hatchet..." The Spine whispered encouragingly.   
  
Her face crumpled and she buried it against his neck. The Spine sighed.  
  
"Forgive her, Mr. Reed. She hasn't really been welcomed here. They've done everything but throw her out into the street... no, they've done worse."  
  
"Oh, no, hey, hey, now, don't cry, alright? It's okay," Michael said soothingly. She sobbed harder. "Well, if you really want to cry I won't interfere but, look, it's just people. They get ideas and it's hard to shake them. But I don't have anything against you, okay? You're making The Spine happy so you must be good." He smiled.  
  
She looked up, sniffling. "Thank you," she murmured, and vanished.  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's still here. I think she's embarrassed." There was a faint whisper. "Yep. I think we'd better go."  
  
"Yeah, you sounded busy," Michael said with a wink.  
  
The Spine looked at him for a moment, his expression still determinedly serious. He'd had a very tense day... Then a smile fit to rival Michael's own broke out across his face and he said quietly, "It's nice to have someone just be happy for us, Mr. Reed. I would have rung church bells and thrown the biggest wedding you ever saw if only I could have just had my family be happy for me... Instead it was quiet vows, alone. I have no regrets, I suppose... just wishes that never quite came true."  
  
"Oh... well, I guess that makes me your best man." Michael laughed.  
  
"I couldn't ask for a better one... EEP!"  
  
"What?"  
  
The Spine looked distressed. He smiled weakly. "She'd like to go now," he said in a trembling voice.  
  
"Uh... you okay?"  
  
The Spine swallowed hard and nodded. He hurried off down the hall, whispering, "Right in front him? Yes, I know he couldn't see what you were doing but it was very embarrassing... Well, yes, it was amazing but this isn't the place! Hatchet, my photoreceptors nearly fell out... You aren't sorry at all, are you..."  
  
Michael heard him giggle. He realized how far away they were... His new audioreceptors were very impressive. But The Spine wasn't used to Michael Reed being able to hear him from that far away...  
  
"No, I'm not sorry either. You think you can do it again once we get into the HoW?" The Spine asked merrily.   
  
"Oh, no no no no... How do I turn these down?" Michael moaned, miserably tugging at his ears.   
  
Fortunately the hum of the HoW soon blocked any further noises from the happy couple.  
  
\----------  
  
Emmeline busily dug through bits and bobs, gadgets and gizmos, humming happily to herself as she assembled them into other things.  
  
"I spent my silver dollar and I want my silver dollar back..." she sang softly, hovering next to the upper shelves. Michael Reed no doubt could reach these in his stocking feet, but Emmeline had to use her thrusters. She landed and wired two pieces together, then flipped a switch. There was a spark and then her contraption hummed to life, lighting her smiling face.  
  
"Brilliant..." she sighed. "I wish Michael would hurry back so that I can show him..."  
  
"You care for him a great deal, don't you?" murmured a pleasant, rather musical voice.   
  
She turned quickly and found a strange and dusky man... not one with dark skin but a man with an air of darkness around him.  
  
"What do you want, then?" she asked firmly.  
  
"To help, Miss Emmeline. I have been observing you..."  
  
"That's stalking, mate."  
  
He didn't miss a beat. "Only for you welfare, not my own. I have seen your pain and am prepared to offer you a bargain that will ensure your happiness."  
  
"Oh, you're going to ensure my happiness," she responded drily.  
  
"If you will hear me out, I am sure we can reach an agreement that will be mutually beneficial."  
  
"Uh-huh. What kind of agreement?"  
  
"One that will bring you the man you love..."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Will you listen to my proposal?"  
  
"Alright," she murmured, clutching her latest creation to her chassis.  
  
"I have grown discontent with the services of one of my employees. I know she wishes to be free of her debt to me and I propose to allow her to have that freedom. But it means finding a replacement to take her route in hand. I see you are a capable young lady. Serve me and I can promise you the love of Michael Reed."  
  
"Is that really yours to give?"  
  
"Just say the word, and I will be freed to pay whatever price you have asked. That is how the bargain functions."  
  
"So I become your employee, and in return Michael will love me?"  
  
The man stepped closer. She could hear faint screams that flickered and became songs before she could hear them clearly.  
  
"I promise it. My word is my bond."  
  
Emmeline stared at him for along moment. Then she raised the gadget she'd been holding.  
  
"Well, that's terribly tempting, sunshine, but I'm only three years old."  
  
In one smooth motion, she kicked over a bucket of water she'd been using to rinse off old gadgets, hovered over the puddle as it flowed over his feet and pressed a button. The device hummed softly before arcing 500 volts into the puddle and through the spectre before her. He vanished with a shriek.  
  
Emmeline shut off the device and landed.  
  
"It was really more of a crush. Nothing to sell my soul over. Ain't got any blood to sign with, anyway," she said casually as she strolled from the shed.


	33. Interim stuff mostly, some chapters are a little quieter sure - NinjaPastry

"God bless America..." Leo mumbled angrily as he dragged Steve into the elevator. He seemed lifeless, but when Leo saw the spirits of green tint and blue eyes, he knew Steve was in good hands. The red one with white eyes brighter than the sun was what scared him the most.   
  
Only once had he seen that spirit, and that was over the friendly-firing man on his team in... no... don't think about that... The elevators doors closed, surrounding the two (plus three) in silence. They listened as the elevator hummed and rose, then the doors opened again.   
  
Leo dipped down and flung Steve over his shoulder, grunting with every step to keep him from falling. As he pressed on down the hall, passing storage rooms, Rabbit's room, and the studio where Michael was fumbling about with the violin, he turned the corner to Steve's guest bedroom and flopped him down onto the bed. He didn't exactly look comfortable.   
  
Leo climbed on top of Steve, straddling him, and turned him over; messing with his arms, the spirits laughed and left them be. Steve started to stir, then awoke abruptly when he felt someone over him. He jolted, looking up to the boy-man with wide brown eyes, blush smacking him in the face just as hard as Carolina did.  
  
"I know we're both hot, but no," Steve said with a slight laugh in his voice. "Please get your junk off of my junk or this is only going to get more awkward for the both of us..."  
  
Leo gasped and fell off onto the floor, standing quickly and clearing his throat. "Sorry, sir, but I had to get you into bed. You need rest. You were just possessed. I'm afraid the spirit lay somewhere on the property still, but I have no control. Stay safe, Mr. Negrete."  
  
Steve watched as Leo stood tall, nodded at him, and left without a word of sympathy, not even asking if he was still alright. Guess he's the expert at that or something.   
  
=  
  
Peter's arms were swaying slightly as he walked down the halls and into his workshop, feeling like he had just won the lottery. In behind him ran Matt, tapping his shoulder.  
  
"Dad?" he asked, surprised that actually came from his mouth, "Um, Jan wants her memories back. The three of us kids think it's unfair that only Mike and I have ours and she has to suffer without the past..."  
  
Peter turned back to him, sitting on the desk and nodding. "But won't that lead her to suffer from the past?"  
  
"I just want to watch her grow up," Matt sighed. "Seeing mime Janelle like that broke my heart. I never got to see her that way. She's been dead for two years, I know, but I can't stand to see her like that; all broken and blind of what we went through."  
  
Peter stared at him, thinking things through. She was still buried, and it would be kind of impossible to resurrect a young girl who's been deceased and decaying for two years, just about, and get her mind to function enough to make Matt happy.  
  
"Understand that would be harder than just getting mime Janelle back, Matthew."  
  
"Please dad." Silence of the pure kind filled the room, Peter gnawing at his lip in thought. He scratched his head and let out a sigh, bowing his head. He just called him dad, twice. This man now trusted him with all of his life and there he was, asking his dad for something.  
  
Dad. Peter had no children, not even a lady friend who he would walk down the halls with like Jon and UpGrade. But now he had robotic children, just like his great-great-grandfather. At least he didn't hurt his children...  
  
"I'll see what I can do, Matt," he said. Matt smiled and scuffed his shoe, then looked to the floor. "Um, also, Matt, I've got news about the mimes."  
  
Matt looked up at him, blue eyes hopeful.  
  
"They're safe, living in an apartment with some other mimes that kinda look like Michael and Steve, really. Social Services is paying for everything and the Smiths? Arrested."  
  
"Mrs. Smith?!"  
  
"She'll be let go with a charge of treason, but she won't get the... um..."  
  
"Yeah," Matt interrupted. "Good. I hope she finds a new life to live."  
  
"Yeah," Peter smiled. "So.... get the shovels and call Spine in here."  
  
"He's busy... with stuff..." Matt grinned at Peter and he sighed, clenching and unclenching his fist to suppress the anger. "But I can get Michael instead."  
  
"Good. Night is coming soon so Leo will have control over the dining hall tonight. That should be the perfect time to get her back into the lab and get to dinner to show you off with Bunny and David."  
  
Matt nodded and walked out, leaving Peter to the drawings on his desk. A picture of Matt as a human lay beside his build plans, making Peter happy. He looked so much happier.  
  
=  
  
"Chill out bro," Rabbit sighed as Hatchworth kept mumbling under his breath about his hatred toward the younger sister. "She's fine. Spine is probably the most trustworthy brother out there!"  
  
"Whatever," Hatchy growled as the two walked into the studio, seeing Michael finally getting a good grip upon the violin. He looked up to his now older brother and sister and smiled, then gave an aggravated look to his hands.  
  
"I think I broke it," he said.  
  
"Broke what?" Rabbit asked.   
  
"My wrist. It's not bending the right way..."  
  
"We can all do that," Hatchworth laughed, showing Michael the weird twists and turns of his wrists. "Well, The Wheel and Matthew cannot because Peter did not design them that way."  
  
"Also, he didn't design them like how we are with our vocal cords and voice boxes."  
  
"But Janelle has such a pretty voice," Michael said in awe of Rabbit's words. "She sings like an angel."  
  
"You should tell her that," Rabbit offered. "She feels killing you two."  
  
"Only because you blamed her, constantly and meanly," Hatchworth hissed. Michael glared at Rabbit and she laughed awkwardly, sitting at the bench next to him.   
  
"Now, lemme teach ya how to do this one," she said, motioning to the violin


	34. All Freakin' Hell breaks loose - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The manor is attacked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Trigger warning:this installment contains assaults. I don't think they're too graphic but do involve someone being pinned, frightened, and generally made to feel weak and helpless. I know that a lot of people have experienced this in various ways so I thought I'd warn you.)

Leo sank into his chair. He thought he'd seen everything. He'd figured working in Walter Manor couldn't be any stranger than his life had been so far.  
  
He'd been wrong before.  
  
But he wasn't one to sink into a depression; he would never have survived that way. Still, a guy needed a boost sometimes. A guilty pleasure. He knew just the thing.  
  
\----------  
  
Carolina hurried down the hall. Possessed, he'd said. Only she'd been assaulted by the strongest non-robot in the house and for all she knew he really was a dragon. She didn't know what to believe anymore... or whether it was the trauma or a head injury... She shook her head. She hoped it wasn't a head injury.  
  
She heard... singing. But not one of the robots... It sounded like...  
  
Leo?  
  
"'Cause it's a hard life, with love in the world, and I'm a hard girl, loving me is like straightening curls..."  
  
She rapped at the door frame and peered around it into the room.  
  
He jumped and slammed the space bar on his laptop, then slapped it shut as though he'd been caught watching dirty movies. She suppressed a smile. She wasn't here for pleasantries...  
  
"Look, I just want some reassurance... I want to know it's safe to stay here, Leo." She realized her voice was shaking. "It's been the craziest day... two days... I can't remember when I last slept..."  
  
"Oh, uh... get some sleep, then," he said, leaning casually on his laptop. "We'll figure it out later."  
  
"If I'm still alive!"  
  
"Carolina..."  
  
"Is Steve really a dragon? And is he still possessed or whatever it was? I don't much like the idea of being roasted alive..."  
  
He sighed, a deep, long-suffering sigh. "I could put a charm on your doorway. Anyone passing through would have to be free of added passengers..."  
  
"I don't want any voodoo, dang it! I want to know I'm not going to be murdered!"  
  
"You're crying..."  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"I... um... do you want a hug or something?"  
  
"That is about the last thing you should give me right now. Trust me." She sighed. "Look, I'm going to a hotel. I'll be back tomorrow. I just need some rest where I don't feel like I'm in danger."  
  
"Oh!" he cried, sounding relieved. "Good idea!"  
  
She nodded. "Alright."  
  
She turned away and felt a strange tickling at the back of her neck.  
  
"What was that?" she asked, turning.  
  
He was right behind her. He smiled a watery sort of smile. "Just some of my voodoo."  
  
She sighed sharply and went to her room for a change of clothes.  
  
\----------  
  
Leo turned back to his computer, tucking his herb pouch into his pocket. He didn't know what had attacked her exactly, or why it had targeted her, but at least now he was sure that whatever it was wouldn't follow her to her hotel. She was a nice lady. She needed her rest.  
  
He turned his video back on and danced in his chair, after taking a peek behind him to make sure the coast was clear.  
  
\----------  
  
Carolina left after a lively dinner, complete with a demonstration of the two new family robots, and cake. The rest stayed up for a while, breaking from the larger group into smaller ones. Steve and Dr. Lennox vanished for a little while and there was much talk and laughter until Steve was found fast asleep on the couch.  
  
Leo chuckled with the rest but he felt groggy. He'd had as challenging a day as he'd ever had but still it worried him. He usually had a hard time sleeping, harder if the day was stressful... which they always were. He heard a faint snore and looked over at Peter, who was leaning back on the sofa, a little trail of drool dripping from beneath his mask.  
  
"Huh... wouldja look at that..." he murmured.  
  
"I got head for bed," Matter Master David mumbled. He stumbled a little on his way out of the room and his sister hurried to help him.  
  
"You guys need to pace yourselves," said Chelsea, laughing. "Time for bed, everyone. Where is Carol, anyway?"  
  
Everyone shrugged. The robot family carried the groggier members to bed and retired to stasis chambers. Carolina sent a text saying she had arrived and checked in and was assured that all was quiet.  
  
Night settled over the manor. Steve slept soundly... literally. His snores sometimes rattled the windows. He was the only one with a room in that hall...  
  
 _They're coming..._  
  
He woke with one big snore and looked around.  
  
 _Rest. Save your strength..._   
  
"What?" he asked, feeling suddenly overpowered by sleep. "Weird... dream..."  
  
His snores resumed.  
  
\----------  
  
Dr. Lennox had retired early. She wasn't sure why at first, until she realized it was because of Steve. Things were going awfully fast...  
  
She was brushing out her hair and humming, reflecting on the fact Steve had "happened" to mention that though there were no doors, he had that wing all to himself. A heated debate was going on inside her usually clear head... the two sides were, "It's going too fast and he's younger than I am and I'm not that easy," squared off against, "I'm not getting any younger and he's terribly attractive and his whiskers tickle and I could be that easy if I wanted."  
  
Emmeline had wandered in earlier, playing with a dangerous device she had made, and been summarily put to "bed" while the device rested on a high shelf. It was silly, she knew; Emmeline could fly up and get it any time. But the little robot never even protested. She seemed very pleased with herself, in fact...  
  
Dr. Lennox put down her brush. She slipped into the bed and settled in comfortably. They weren't leaving for a few days, and Steven needed his rest. Tomorrow, maybe.  
  
A blur passed her eyes. Her expression hardened.  
  
 _Now, while the guardians are subdued..._  
  
She got up and got caught on the bedpost. She tugged and the buttons snapped off of her nightgown, showering around her as she walked out without regard to the open bodice.  
  
\----------  
  
Rabbit had shut down without a fuss for a change. It had been a long day.  
  
Walter Girl Chelsea had asked Michael Reed to tend to Rabbit. He, to his surprise, was going about his duties as though never interrupted by a brief period of being living impaired. Peter had done a fantastic job on this body. He wasn't even tired.  
  
He went back to the music room to practice. Rabbit and Hatchworth had helped him get the knack of the new hardware, but he still needed training. He hoped to get The Spine to work with him on guitar in the morning.  
  
He heard steps as he walked and stopped.  
  
 _Be ready... they're coming..._  
  
"Rabbit?"  
  
Silence. He peered around the corner. Rabbit stood in her stasis chamber, eyes dark.  
  
 _Play your music. The time will come._  
  
"Huh?" he asked, shaking his head. He'd heard... what? It was fading like a dream... gone.  
  
He fought for a moment but couldn't remember what it was that was bothering him. Maybe Peter hadn't quite worked all the bugs out of the memory banks. He shrugged and walked on, whistling. The footsteps resumed. There were strange presences in the old manor house, mostly benign. He didn't feel a threat this time, but maybe he couldn't as a robot...  
  
In the silence he left behind, clockwork ticked distinctly, punctuated by soft bubbling and hissing. Several minutes passed in silence before two photoreceptors, one blue and one green, flickered and came to life.  
  
\----------  
  
"I have to go..."  
  
Silence.  
  
"I know..." The Spine whispered huskily when their lips parted.  
  
"It's almost midnight..."  
  
"Mm-hm..."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Spine..."  
  
The sound of steam and a giggle.  
  
"Mmmph... That tickles..."  
  
"Good..."  
  
She kissed him once more, firmly. "Any other time I'd slip right back into that hammock with you but this is different."  
  
Silence. A deep sigh.  
  
He leaned away a little and rested his forehead on hers. "I know. Really. When can you come back?"  
  
"I wish I could say for sure. But I promise that any time I have free is yours. It could be just a few hours..."  
  
He grinned. "I hate to say this... I really hate to say it, but... Leave me a little time. I am in a band, and besides Rabbit and Hatchworth shouldn't be allowed to run amok."  
  
She giggled and kissed him again. "Alright. I'll take up gardening."  
  
"What will you grow?" he asked, holding her close.  
  
"Nothing. I kill everything I touch."  
  
He stared at her.  
  
"That was a joke."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Guess I killed that, too."  
  
He snickered. "That was a pun..."  
  
The clock struck the hour. She kissed him quickly and vanished. The Spine stared at the empty space for a moment and groaned, then trudged back to his hammock. He curled up inside it, sighing.  
  
Something flickered, flitted past his ear.  
  
"Hatchet?"  
  
No answer.  
  
\----------  
  
 _Not right... don't be deceived..._  
  
Steve woke in a cold sweat; strange, considering something soft, warm, and heavy was weighing him down. His lips were occupied as well... a chill shot up his spine, but it was a pleasant sort of shiver.  
  
He knew that scent.  
  
"Hey, girl..." he breathed when their lips parted. He stroked her cheek. "What a nice way to wake up..."  
  
She said nothing. He could just see her face by the light of his alarm clock. She looked oddly blank.  
  
Well, maybe she was just nervous... he wasn't sure if lady scientists spent a lot of time in strange bedrooms.  
  
"You okay?" he murmured. He hoped so; having come this far, it seemed a pity to waste it.  
  
She caught his arms in an iron grip.  
  
"Ooh, it's gonna be like that, huh?" he said, giggling a little. She was full of surprises.  
  
She smiled. The red light of the clock face made her look somehow sinister...  
  
 _Don't be deceived..._  
  
"Carol?"  
  
She kissed him again. It hurt. He pulled and realized he couldn't get his arms free. He had no idea she had that kind of muscle... he kinda liked it.  
  
"Carol!" he cried when she let him breathe once more. "I like it rough as much as the next guy but... mmph!"  
  
Another kiss. This time he was sure she'd drawn blood. Even that wasn't quite enough to put him off... if it had seemed remotely like her to do it. It didn't. He wanted to enjoy it but it was increasingly obvious that something was wrong... He struggled, carefully, afraid to hurt her.  
  
"Carol!" he gasped. "What's wrong with you? Say something!"  
  
She purred, in a voice heavily accented by definitely not English, "They say dragon's blood has magical properties..."  
  
"What?" he said, laughing to cover his growing panic. "Who said anything about dragons..."  
  
"I can taste it in your blood, serpent! Now be a good lad and quit your man form if you wish no harm to come to this woman..."  
  
"Carol..." he whispered, swallowing hard. He closed his eyes, tried to figure out how to overpower her without transforming. She was fireproof, but his scales were like razors...  
  
'Carol' laughed... a dark and, to his frustration, very sexy laugh.  
  
This was supposed to be a lot more pleasant... he thought, shuddering as she pressed her lips against his once more. Let her go... whatever you are... just let her go...  
  
\----------  
  
Michael strummed the guitar and cringed. Yes, he definitely needed to work with The Spine...  
  
There was movement in the doorway.  
  
"Rabbit?"  
  
There was fear in her eyes.  
  
"Run..." she whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"R-r-run... m-m-m-mistah R-r-r-reed..."  
  
Michael stood hastily, backing away as Rabbit sashayed toward him. He'd never run in this body... "Why?"  
  
"N-n-n-not right... r-r-run!" Rabbit pleaded hoarsely.  
  
"Shut up!" hissed Rabbit as if in answer to herself. In a low, almost bass voice she said, "Hello, Mr. Reed..."  
  
"Are you malfunctioning, Rabbit? Is it from the gunshot? Peter missed something..."  
  
 _Stand ready!_  
  
 _What?_  
  
Tears flowed down Rabbit's face. "I-I c-c-can't st-stop it... R-r-r-run ya b-b-big d-d-d-d-dumb..."  
  
"Silence!" Rabbit lunged for Michael.  
  
 _The time is now! Flee while you can! Save your friends!_  
  
Michael ran.  
  
\----------  
  
The Spine got out of his hammock, frowning. There was a whisper.  
  
 _This one is so strong..._  
  
"Hello?" he said uneasily.  
  
 _He looks delicious..._  
  
"Uh..."  
  
 _The last guardian sleeps! Feed!_  
  
Something incredibly strong... it would have to be... pushed him to the ground. He tried to get up and realized he couldn't... either it was too strong or he had become too weak... He wasn't used to being weak. Panic began to rise...  
  
"Stop it!" he groaned, struggling.  
  
"So you like dark and creepy women, eh, android?" whispered the voice.  
  
"What? Who are you?"  
  
"A friend..." Something pressed his lips. He twisted away. He could see nothing, but it felt like arms and legs were wrapped around him, holding him down.  
  
"Hatchet!" he cried, more terrified than he'd been since... well, since he'd thought she was going to die... Why was she attacking him?  
  
"She's ours now, sweetheart... She sleeps... She can't hear her poor little baby crying..."  
  
"Don't..." he faltered.  
  
"Don't what?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
He fought the urge to cry out as he was pushed down again.  
  
"Scream..."  
  
"No..."  
  
"What? Don't you want help?"  
  
"Not as much as you want me to scream..."  
  
It laughed. Fingers stroked his chassis roughly. He shuddered and it laughed again.  
  
He'd been damaged before, been helpless, but he'd never felt this kind of helplessness. It had swept in and grabbed him like a child; it could do anything to him. If he screamed, others would come but they would think Hatchet was attacking him... but it wasn't her. He knew it wasn't... That accent, where had he heard it?  
  
And even if anyone came, what could they do against such power? He was, without any unjust pride, the strongest person in Walter Manor...  
  
"Let's play..." hissed the voice.  
  
Terrifyingly strong hands wrapped around his throat. He couldn't be strangled but it was still a weak point on his body. He shivered, closed his eyes tightly and forced himself to remain calm to just try and think...  
  
\----------  
  
Carolina had just slipped into bed when her phone rang.  
  
"Carolina? It's Michael!"  
  
"Oh, goodie. What did Rabbit do now?"  
  
"No, you've got to call..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know! I thought the guys were unusually tired but I can't wake Leo or Peter... Rabbit's hunting me, Carolina! I'm heading for Steve's room now..."  
  
"Watch it, I think he was expecting a little company..."  
  
"This is serious! Help me!"  
  
"Oh my gosh, I thought it was a prank!" She jumped out of bed, scrambling to get dressed. "Okay, okay... um... get Chelsea..."  
  
"She's the one who made dinner! She drugged them!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't think it was really her, though... and it was just the men..."  
  
Carolina remembered what Leo had told her.  
  
"Oh, my gosh! They're possessed! The.. the women... Steve! Oh, I don't think his visit is gonna be what he wants it to be..."  
  
There was a pop. A dark man appeared.  
  
"How do you do. My name is Grimm. Much as it galls and sickens me, I require your assistance."  
  
"Wow, thanks..." she answered faintly, tugging her dress up over her bra. "If you're who I think you are, I may just be willing to do that."


	35. Leo, no! Steve... no! Everyone generally, just no. - NinjaPastry

((Trigger warning on here too: death, threats, and medical needs that aren't met))  
  
They were everywhere, the spirits. Leo felt them, every last one of them, and cried out once one punched his chest. He gasped and coughed, falling from his chair. That was a good one! He rummaged and ransacked the top drawer of his desk, wheezing by this point and feeling the burning in the back of his throat as air decided to stop going to his lungs; an asthma attack was ensued.   
  
He found the bright red inhaler and fell onto his back, the cap stuck upon the mouth piece. He saw green and blue lights of mists above him before his eyes shut, then felt someone sit upon him, it seemed.  
  
\---  
  
"Help!" Steve cried, crawling from out of his room. He screamed as Carol dragged him back in, throwing him against the wall. He screamed again as she clawed at his white tank-top.  
  
"No screaming," she growled. "Let me see you, serpent!"  
  
"No!" he called back, feeling his skin rip. It was getting very hard to hold back by this point. He cared so much about her, so why was she doing this, forcing him to be someone he was hiding away?  
  
Carol grabbed his dreads and stood him up, putting a finger to his chin and smiling.   
  
"Please let me go," he sighed, "Please let Carol go."  
  
"Not until you show yourself," she nearly sang.   
  
"Never."  
  
"Why you little.." she threw him onto the floor and stood over him, sitting herself upon his thighs and her hands upon his chest.   
  
"I'm sitting here until you transform yourself. If not, I make this harder and harder every minute that passes." Steve looked up at her, watching her expression as his brown eyes turned into orange orbs with thin black slits down the middle.   
  
\---  
  
A blade to her neck watch made her stand in silence, her clone in front of her with an angry look upon his face.  
  
"You've given me more lists than I need, Hatchet," he seethed. She spit oil on his face and he wiped it off, pinning her against the wall.  
  
"Kill me and kill everyone in that manor, including yourself. You are me. I die, you die."  
  
"Worth it, as long as The Spine suffers."  
  
"H doesn't have to, Tomahawk. He's suffered enough."  
  
"And so have you."  
  
"Not with him. Everything's changed around there; I'm loved. You should try it sometime."  
  
Tomahawk glared at her, making her smile. He sighed and put his scythe back in it's sheath.   
  
"Everything is going to.. well, here up on the mortal land. We need to do something," Hatchet said, watching as he lay on the top bunk in their room. It was a red and black painted concrete block, a bunk bed in the corner and a mirror on the wall, a portal on the adjacent wall and a small hatch on the floor in another corner.   
  
"And if I stop this, I'm leaving," she huffed. Grimm promised to keep the contract by DeathCode, but still. Hate me, kill me, I don't care. Please, just help me end the chaos."  
  
He laughed and sat up, looking at her. "You stupid little house-wife. I'm the one doing this."  
  
\---  
  
He lay there, feeling himself still helpless and trapped upon the floor. After a while he opened his eyes, QWERTY powering back on, then shutting off. All the lights went off.  
  
"LOCK DOWN!" someone shouted down the hall. The weakness floated away and he sat up quickly, jumping to his feet and quickly pulling his pants on. He ran out into the hall, seeing a few of the workers running down the hall in a panic with flashlights.  
  
"Someone call 911!"  
  
"The phone lines are down!"  
  
"Someone," most likely Cal shouted, "Get The Spine!"  
  
Spine walked quickly into the room, pushing the ladies away form him. They all were terrified, shaken, and overall looked abused by the forces abusing him. Cal and Bunny were the only two to not leave the room while Spine tore open Leo's shirt and felt around his chest.  
  
"Something bad did this," he said. "Did you check his pulse?" he asked, looking to Bunny. She sighed, Cal hiding her face. Spine looked to the boy, realizing what those soulful look meant.


	36. Carolina to the rescue - Whistler

Grimm snorted. "They really bought it. They believe their precious lockdown scared the boogeymen away. It's too rich!"  
  
Carolina scowled at him, trembling from head to toe. "Can we just..."  
  
"Of course. Your weak human frame will only tolerate so much."  
  
They began to walk.  
  
Carolina could hear the voices inside her head. Some screaming abuse, some pleading for freedom, some attempting to seduce her, with power or... ugh. Other things. She did her best to ignore them all.   
  
She could still sense which vessel each had inhabited...   
  
Rabbit's was a hunter, ironically. She had allowed Rabbit to warn Michael Reed so that he would run. She wasn't sure how it would end when she caught him... she would have caught him, Carolina could feel it.  
  
Chelsea had carried a poisoner. She had only drugged the men at dinner, but she wanted to see what would happen to Peter if she dripped caustic fluids into his vortex... She hadn't begun yet, because she'd been trying to wake him. Apparently it was better if he could scream. Peter never got enough sleep so the sleeping drugs must have been enough to flatten him.  
  
Bunny's was the psychological type. She had been telling her brother ugly tales of every horrible event in his past... Carolina hadn't realized how many he had. From his dark childhood to the day Peter had his accident, she had been busily assuring him that it was all his fault. And because David already believed it, he had been sobbing into his pillow by the time Carolina and Grimm passed through unseen, luring his tormentor from his sister's body. She just hoped he knew now that it wasn't really her...  
  
But Hatchet... Hatchet was possessed by a pure succubus, the most powerful of the ones now carried, with Grimm's aid, by Carolina. She had wanted The Spine to scream for help, then she intended to make him scream other ways... first with pleasure and then with pain. And finally she would permit him to die...  
  
Carolina shivered.  
  
"Don't listen to them, woman. Do not allow them to make you tremble. Any weakness will be exploited."  
  
She nodded, despite his less than respectful treatment. She didn't dare lose her cool now. They continued their slow march through the halls. "Are there any more?"  
  
"If there are, I doubt very much whether there is anyone left to save. They work slowly when they are at leisure to torment and feed, but they have been alerted to my presence. They will try to consume before they are stopped."  
  
Carolina swallowed hard, fear rising. She still hadn't seen Matt, Leo or Steve...  
  
They passed Matt's room and saw, to their surprise, that Matt and Jingle were in stasis. Carolina, with the charm that Grimm had hung around her neck, scanned the room and found nothing.  
  
"No one? Why?"  
  
"He's just been placed in a new body, one he can barely use. I suspect your drummer's salvation has been his relative infancy. Each of the other men here has strength or knowledge craved by the succubi. And this man, as he is now, is simply not as appealing as the others."  
  
"I think he's cute. Well, I guess that's not what you mean. Alright, so he's kind of ordinary compared to the others. But what about Steve? He's just a guy, too..."  
  
"Then perhaps we shall find him sleeping," Grimm replied in a tone that suggested there was more to it...  
  
\----------  
  
"No..." Steve groaned, fighting the panic. But it was overwhelming. He wanted to take his true form, to be safe...  
  
But wouldn't it cut Carol to ribbons if she was sitting on his body while he transformed?  
  
"Change..." she purred.  
  
"Why? What will you do then?"  
  
"Watch you weep when this woman dies..."  
  
"Not much... in it for me, then..." he gasped, forcing a laugh.  
  
She glared and slapped him. A ball of fire burst from his lips. She grinned.  
  
"There we go... She will burn... and you will be the one to do it..."  
  
"No!" Oh, wait...  
  
"Transform, tasty serpent..."  
  
"No..." he said, forcing it to sound as miserable as possible. He began to shift, carefully, groaning as though it was happening unwillingly, tipping to keep the edges of expanding scales away from her tender skin. One cut her on the calf and she screeched and rolled away.  
  
Perfect... he'd been afraid the ghost or whatever it was couldn't feel her pain. Now Carol was clear of his body. He let go.  
  
With a roar like a blast furnace, he transformed all in one smooth ripple from head to tail. It hurt and at the same time felt glorious... and now he knew he had the edge because the beast possessing Carol apparently didn't know one secret...  
  
"Let her go," he roared.  
  
"Never!" she responded in perfect dragonspeak. "I will keep her, and remain to torment you until death claims you! You have only one recourse, only one escape. Destroy her! Destroy her and you will be freed!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Breathe your flames! Burn her flesh!"  
  
What was the matter with this thing? Did it just like hurting people?  
  
'Carol' stepped forward and stroked his snout, tickling the nostrils. "Burn me..." she crooned. "Breath your fire and I will set her free... what's left of her!"  
  
That was what he wanted to hear.  
  
"Promise!" he growled. "Promise me that if I burn her, you will leave and never come back!"  
  
She laughed luxuriously. "You prefer killing her to letting me keep her. I find that alluring..."  
  
"Promise!" he snarled.  
  
"As I live and breathe, I swear it will be done."  
  
"Not good enough! You don't live or breathe. Swear by something real and I'll know it's binding."  
  
Her eyes flashed with rage in the glow of his jaws... the flame breath was building.   
  
"I swear by Death himself."  
  
Steve engulfed her in flames.  
  
\----------  
  
Carolina stood in the doorway and screamed. They had arrived just in time to hear the succubus swear her oath. She could feel the rage building in the dark man beside her. He took her oath very personally.  
  
The flames faded. Carol stood, now naked, wobbling on her feet as the succubus, after a moment of obvious confusion over the lack of pain or damage to the woman it possessed, sensed the presence of power and was drawn to it, just as her sisters had been throughout the manor. Carolina saw the shape moving closer and pushed aside her shock and confusion quickly, holding up the charm and drawing the spirit toward her. Like her sisters, the demon screamed, cursed and struggled, but was pulled into Carolina's body and held there.   
  
And she began to hear her angry whispers with the others... angry that the serpent had fooled her, terrified at the sight of what had lured her away, Death, by whom she had just sworn, frustration at the loss of what she had been sure was a conquest, the chance to feed from the despair of a large and powerful creature... who had now transformed back into a man and caught Carol as she fell.  
  
"Oh, my..." Carolina gasped. He was naked, too! Somehow she suspected no one would be making the most of it, however... Carol was in a dead faint. She watched uncomfortably as Steve gently lay her on the bed and threw a blanket over her bare skin before he hurried to grab a pair of shorts from his singed but intact dresser. Fire alarms sounded throughout the house and Steve hastily pulled up his shorts, wrapped Carol in the blanket, and carried her away.  
  
Only then did it hit her. She's fireproof... She'd been sure he was kidding.  
  
"All that's left is Leo, then," she said with difficulty. The demons were struggling so much...  
  
"I think we needn't trouble ourselves over Ardo, Lina..."  
  
"Stop calling me that! We're not down there, are we? We're up here."  
  
"For now. Remember what I told you at the start. Only when they are imprisoned in the Other Place will your burden be ended. Then you may return to tend the injured and suffering about whom you care so much. Unless you wish to stay. Your strength can be an asset..."  
  
"How... very flattering... but I don't like the idea of... having to have conjugal visits instead of a relationship..."  
  
"Nonsense. You have no one with whom you can make such visits..."  
  
Don't rub it in. "Neither did Hatchet, at first, did she?"  
  
"Touché... Then if you're sure, we will move on and transport them to the Other Place..."  
  
"Nuh-uh. We're checking on Leo!"  
  
He was oddly silent. At last he said, "Very well. On your head be it."  
  
What did that mean?  
  
By the time they found Leo, firefighters were spraying Steve's room and paramedics were loading Leo onto a stretcher. A blanket was pulled over his face.  
  
"No!" she cried. Leo...  
  
Carolina?  
  
A white wisp was moving toward her at increasing speed.  
  
"No! No, Leo! Go back!" she screamed.  
  
"Hold steady!" Grimm barked.  
  
She grabbed the charm, trying to move it clear. It was drawing him in!  
  
"Stand your ground or the succubi will be released and your precious family will die!" Grimm ordered.  
  
He was right. She burst into tears but stayed still as Leo's spirit was pulled into her body with the others.  
  
"Leo..." she sobbed. "Not yet... This can't be happening..."  
  
"Please believe that I am genuinely regretful of this unfortunate happenstance," Grimm said loftily. "But I am afraid I am bound by laws older than time. When a man's time has come, he must be harvested. Unless someone interferes and saves his life, that is..."  
  
"Like Leo..." she mumbled. "Did you do this? Did you do this to teach him a lesson?"  
  
"Nonsense! This was perpetrated by an interfering little snake. He will be the one learning hard lessons, my dear..."  
  
"Then let Leo go! It isn't his time! He's only... he's only fifteen..."  
  
"He stopped breathing. Oxygen ceased to reached his brain. He is dead."  
  
"Stop it..."  
  
"We need to move on..."  
  
"Tell me how to let him go back before it's too late!"  
  
"As I said," Grimm muttered, looking for all the world like he was growing nervous, "I am bound by the laws of death..."  
  
"Which you twist to your own ends," said a sultry voice.  
  
"Chet." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Well, hello. Feeling well after a busy morning of being overpowered by lesser demons?"  
  
She appeared directly in front of him, glaring. He leaned away. "They caught me unawares. As they did you They were sent by T0mahawk."  
  
"I will tend to T0mahawk."  
  
"I am counting on that."  
  
"But what brings you here? Fulfill your assignment for today."  
  
"Already completed," she snapped. "I mean to spend the rest of the day here, once it is no longer a disaster area!"  
  
He took a step backward. Carolina was impressed.  
  
"Well, you'll have to wait..."  
  
"I intend to help. First, free the boy."  
  
"You know the laws!"  
  
"Yes. I do."  
  
They stared each other down. He smiled.  
  
"Indeed you do. Very well." He reached toward Carolina, drawing a white wisp from her and flipping it casually toward the retreating gurney.  
  
Leo began to gasp and cough. The paramedics began shouting... an inhaler was hastily produced from a medical bag... In a few minutes, they declared him stable and rushed him out to the ambulance, calling ahead to the hospital to be prepared. Sirens wailed in the distance as they zoomed away.  
  
Carolina stood, fighting to keep control, tears on her cheeks. "Thank you," she whispered.  
  
Hatchet took her firmly by the arm. "He knew I had the prior contract. Leo is a member of the household at this time. Therefore, through a small loophole, he is protected."  
  
"Prior contract?"  
  
"Death is as old as life... almost," Grimm commented, leading them forward through the hallway, as well as the various Walter household members still bustling about. Steve ran through them with a fire extinguisher. "But each man's contract begins with his own birth." The Spine was hugging Rabbit, who was in tears. Hatchet tweaked his backside, startling him, as she passed. He overcame his surprise and a little smile came to his lips. They moved past him. "Leo's mishap fell under a sub-clause, accidental death or mishap... In the event that the party of the first part should die before his time..."  
  
"Sounds like a lot of legalese..." Carolina murmured, leaning on Hatchet's arm as Michael Reed asked whether anyone had seen Matt and Jingle before running off to their room.   
  
This was getting harder. The spirits knew where they were going.  
  
"If there's anything the Other Place has in abundance, it's lawyers," chuckled Hatchet.  
  
They stepped out into the darkness. "Time to cross over," said Grimm.  
  
"Will I... come back?"  
  
"Most likely. Possibly not. Does that make any difference in what you will choose to do next?"  
  
Carolina looked him in the eye as the demons whirled inside her. "No."  
  
He stared at her. "And that is why you are able to aid me. Woman, the vessel of life. Much maligned by men, as though the power to bring life is somehow a lesser one. Madness or jealousy, take your pick. No man could have done what you're doing. Only a woman could."  
  
"One of special courage, in your case," Hatchet added.  
  
She could tell neither was the sort to shower praise on anyone. They said it because it was true, they said it because... she suspected it was because the next part of the journey would be even harder.  
  
"Special courage? I was... hiding out in a hotel!"  
  
"There's no shame in knowing your own needs," Hatchet murmured. Here she likely thought of her own situation...  
  
Carolina nodded. "Let's go." Before I chicken out...  
  
With a flash, they disappeared from the front porch of the Manor.  
  
\----------  
  
After the ambulance tore out of the driveway with Leo, the entire manor, including Matt and Jingle who they had woken, started the task of cleaning up. Emmeline had woken and joined in, rocketing up and down hallways with towels, enormously pleased with herself.  
  
Dr. Lennox, however, remained unconscious. Chelsea bound the cut on her leg and dressed her, with Bunny's help, in a fresh nightgown. Steve took a few minutes from the cleanup to carry her back to her room.  
  
As he laid her on the bed, he eyelids fluttered and opened. He laughed with relief and found he was choked up at the same time.  
  
"Steven?" she said, in her familiar, warm English accent.   
  
He couldn't speak. He held her close, blinking away tears.  
  
"Oh, my!" she gasped. "What did I miss?"  
  
"Nothing you'd want to have seen, Carol..." he whispered, burying his face in her hair. "I thought... I don't know what I thought... It's okay now."  
  
"Steven... I wasn't wearing this when I went to bed..." In the growing dawn light, the buttons from her other gown could be seen scattered over the floor. She looked him up and down the best she could from where he held her. He had slipped a pair of cargo shorts on over his boxers and some sturdy boots, but that was all. His hair, while still in dreads, hung loose around his shoulders. "Have you been a naughty boy? Only I can't remember doing my share..."  
  
"Carol! I'd never..."  
  
"I know, love. I wouldn't joke about it otherwise."


	37. Matt and Jingle are okay, Leo in Hospital, Carolina in Hell, and a quick cuddly robot moment - NinjaPastry

Carefully stepping into Jingle's room, Michael saw Matt asleep on the floor, his battery under his arm like a stuffed animal. Jingle's was on it's charger deck, her plug in the wall. Guess Matt forget that the battery or the wall powers the engine and once you're plugged in you are out like a light, as Peter said. Well, that's the way it was made out to be. Michael walked in and flipped on the light, sitting down next to Matt's shut off body.

"Someone was really worn out," Michael mumbled to himself, "That or an idiot." He took the battery from Matt's arm and reached over, plugging the 47-volt battery into the charger deck. He sat him up and undid the cord from underneath the lip of the battery case and pulled it out, plugging it into the wall under Jingle's. Matt's eyes opened and he winced, then powered off. Jingle always did say that it hurt to be plugged in, but Michael wouldn't know.

Michael then stood up and walked to the bed, sitting on the foot of it as his lady slept in stasis peacefully, thankful neither of them were harmed by what had just gone down. He loved the way they had the same designed faces; swirls on their cheeks and points on their noses. Matt's hair was black now, and Jingle's always was, but it still seemed like the old Matt and Jan.

"Michael?" he hard. Jan's eyes opened hastily and she sat up, choking down the pain and crying to speak with him. He smiled at her and took her hands in his, nodding for her to continue. "Michael, Matt told me about getting my memories back."

"Yeah, he did."

"Were you ever in them?"

Michael sat there for a second. He was, but barely. She was human at the manor at some point and had hit her head so bad she had lost her memory before. That was from being thrown from the car onto the street by...

"I was, Jingle, but you'll see later on, okay? Everyone's asleep right now. I should probably get to bed, t-"

"Stay in the room with me- us. Please. I don't want anyone coming in here and bothering us." She seemed afraid, then saw the care in his eyes and gripped his hands tighter. "I've barely seen you all day. please."

Thankfully the bed was made for two... Michael nodded and crawled into bed with her, pulling the blankets up to their rib cages and wrapping his arms around her. He played with her hair for a while and hummed her a song, pulling her close to him and letting her play with his hand. After a while she shut down, back into stasis, and Michael reached behind his neck and powered himself off. The siblings would wake up soon, but he was fine where he was.

=

Hospitals smell weird, is all Chelsea could think. Halls were always white and smelled like baby wipes and stale vending machine chips. The ICU was just around the corner, but she couldn't get there any sooner. Doctors and nurses all stopped her and kept asking if she was sick due to her paper white skin and blue hair and lips and eyes. She looked either dead or severely dehydrated and cold, which can also lead to death.

"All I need to do is see my friend and get him out of here," she would tell them countless of times. Now she was headed down the ICU hallway, looking for room F554. She pulled at her black dress and made sure her Chuck Taylor's were tied the right way or else Leo would tell her to fix them all.

"552, 553, 55... here we go," she sighed, stepping into the room. There was a large curtain pulled over Leo's bed, making her heart race. She had to report back on Leo's condition to Peter and Carolina. So far not so good.

"Leo?" she asked. A pump was purring out air someplace in the room, but she couldn't tell if it was for his lungs or if it was a fan or some other air distributor for the temperature. "Leonardo, it's me, Chels."

"Come in," someone said that was not Leo. She walked in and saw Sam sitting beside him, writing in a journal. There was a Walter Robotics symbol on the front, making her assume it was notes for Peter. Leo was asleep, a large tube hooked into his mouth. "I've told at least 13 nurses that he's not sick- that I'm not sick. Just different." Sam wasn't wearing his Matter Master outfit, rather a black v-neck tee shirt with blue jeans on and black Sketchers.

Chelsea sat next to him and laughed. "Technically we are sick," she replied, "poisoned with blue matter."

"The joys of working for a man with no face," Sam laughed. He pushed up his glasses and wrote more in the journal before closing it. "So tell me," he said, "Why are you here? Petes sent me. Well, Guy did, but still."

"Bunny's worried," she sighed. Sam nodded and looked to Leo, sadness dancing across his glorious blue mustache. "Mostly Carolina, but no one's seen her since Leo was wheeled into the ambulance."

"I wonder where she went," Sam said. Chelsea nodded in agreement and watched Leo's chest rise and fall. The air pump was a machine pumping air into Leo's lungs, well, of what she could tell.

"So why is there all this on and in him?" she asked, motioning to the pump and the extra monitors.

"His lungs collapsed. Final diagnosis. He did die, actually. Something became lodged in his windpipe, a piece of metal, and it caused his weak lungs to go into overdrive or something and they collapsed. However, once they got him out onto the stretcher and were about to put him in the ambulance, it became dislodged and he was able to somewhat breathe again."

"Scary."

"Totally."

"Want to go get something to eat? Burgers or something?" she asked. He looked at her in surprise, then looked to Leo.

"I can't tell if you're asking me out on a date or wanting me to pay for your midnight snack," he joked. She laughed a little, shaking her head.

"Just food. Stress makes me hungry," she smiled.

"I wonder why you don't weigh a million pounds then," Sam replied, careful of his words.

"Running after robots makes us all skinny," she said to him. He laughed and she laughed, then everything went silent. They sat there and watched Leo's breathing, Sam every now and then pulling out his journal from his satchel and writing in it. The silence was painful, other than the beeping of the heart monitor.

"I can't believe I wore this dress for nothing," she sighed. Sam rubbed his eyes and stood up, stepping in front of her and towards the door. He turned back around and looked at her.

"No burgers?" he asked. She smiled and jumped up, running out of the room with him.

=

So this is what Grimm meant by the Other Side. Basically, the underworld. Fire lined black halls and bones sat in piles in the corners. People screamed from unknown rooms and nearly every step you took there was blood or dried blood on the dark oak floors. Carolina's skin was cracking and flaking away as she walked, in it's place lava and obsidian on the surface. Her eyes were tiny blue lights in black pits and her hair was black as the nights, little stars in the crevices of where her air folded over like a geode.

Hatchet and Grimm walked in front of her, Hatchet looking back at her every once in a while to make sure she was following nicely. Hatchet noticed that Carolina's outfit went from a Walter Girl uniform to a swimsuit. It was blue and had little pink polka dots on the sewing lines, making her wonder.

"Why so bare?" Hatchet asked. Her silvery English accent echoed like butter down the halls. That's what Spine must love so much, Carolina thought.

"I was a swimsuit model for a while," she smiled. "But I got blackmailed into leaving. It's my mark on the universe, I guess."

"No," Grimm said, "It's what will lead you here if it gets any worse. Ardo's is the fact that he's killed 20 people in the last four years and Chet's is.. well, I own her. She stays."

"It's comforting," Hatchet hissed. Carolina walked a bit quicker to catch up to them and hugged her now black and orange skin.

"Lina, are you sure you want to go through with this? Either you look like a dead person or you become a robot and live out your days as my servant." Grimm looked back at her, his face dark with the hood up. Hatchet's hood was up, too.

"I never said I wanted to. You took me here?" she asked herself. Everything was a blur. Leo came back to life, demons had possessed the robots, Steve is a bloody dragon (!!!) and now she was in a bikini in the underworld with no skin and a stupid four letter name.

"Become one of us," Grimm smiled, or what seemed like it. "You're strong."

"You're stronger than I was at that time, Carolina," Hatchet said, stopping her walking to turn and face her. "But, only do this if you want to."

She stood there, thinking. Eternal life while taking others, or, short life saving others. With a huff she pushed away her hair and looked up at Hatchet.

"I... no. No," she said, putting her head down. "I can't."

"We still have to clear the demons from you," Grimm said, waving them on to follow him. "Ardo could do that, but I have someone down here who can do better."

They walked and walked on and on, wandering through halls and down flights of stairs, past dead people and souls trying to crawl away from them as they passed. Carolina's feet hurt and she was so freaking cold she could see her own breath when she opened her mouth and breathed. She watched her reflection in the flames; they looked fake, but felt like ice against her obsidian skin.

They stopped walking and in front of a iron door, reinforced with metal chains and obsidian locks. Grimm rapped upon the door with his bony knuckles, opening the door with a wave of his hand. The chains and locks fell to the floor and they all three walked in, Carolina shivering. This room was even colder!

"Lina, Chet, meet 4-star General Professor Leonardo James Kinglser Jr."

"Jr.?" Carolina asked. "This is Leo's dad?"

Her question was worthy of asking because his back was turned to them and all they saw was a spine and a few ribs, everything else hidden by a camo suit. He slowly turned around, standing upright from tending to a nether wart garden at the back of his room. His head was nearly gone, his face disfigured.

"He was shot in the head by a possessed friendly-fire," Grimm explained.

"And my son was the one who was painted with my blood," he said. His voice was raspy, like an old man's, but it was softer than that. I was scared, but strong. "Now he walks the mortal world seeing who we were and wo we are, alone, without his mother. Without me."

"Blah blah blah, Mr. Mopey," Grimm hissed. "Fix the girl."

Jr. walked to Carolina. He was much taller than Leo, 6'8 instead of Leo's 6'3. Jr. looked at Carolina carefully, taking her hands in his and looking her deep in the eyes. She sighed and shut her eyes, as if he's asked her to, and fell to the floor.

"Take care of my son," he said to Hatchet. She nodded and picked up Carolina. She took her scythe from it's sheath and slashed a portal to the manor, walking through it. Grimm made it disappear, then left Jr. alone.

=

Jon and UpGrade ran form the manor, falling down hard onto the ground of the wheat field. Jon laughed and UpGrade giggled before sneaking kisses and tickling each other. They said "I love you"s and made out on the ground, until Spine walked over to them. He cleared his throat and scared them. They screamed and UpGrade rolled off of Jon, looking up at him angrily.

"Have you seen Her?" he asked. UpGrade sniffled and sat up, Jon helping her stand as he did.

"No and I plan to never again," she yelled at him. "What is wrong with you?!"

"Love," he sighed. "And if it's a problem for you, then so be it. I love her and she loves me. Sorry I didn't have the heart to love you, UpGrade. Be thankful Jon does." UpGrade gasped and looked to Jon who smiled at her.

"Also, Jon, Hatctworth us looking for you. He said he needs to feed your koi fish or something."

Jon nodded and waved as he left. Seeing the fury in UpGrade's build, Jon slipped his hands into hers and grinned, wiggling his eyebrow. She steamed and smiled at him, letting him lead her back to the manor.

"Better get some at-home action before we go back tomorrow, huh?" Jon asked. UpGrade laughed and nodded at him, blue eyes lighting the way. Meanwhile, Spine walked right back into the H.O.W., settling down into his hammock that suddenly felt too big for him without Hatchet there. Not for long, really. He felt someone brush up against his front side and opened his eyes to see a familiar set of beautiful teal eyes and black, kissable lips.

"Hatchet?" he asked.

"Indeed," she replied.


	38. Steve sleeps in Carol's bed... literally, Bunny patrols, and Carolina defeats a host of demons pretty much alone - Whistler

Emmeline shuffled toward the room she shared with her mum. She'd exhausted her propellant ages ago but it was worth it; the place looked loads cleaner, though there were still towels everywhere and Steve's bedroom was a lost cause.   
  
The others were lounging around, discussing what had happened in dull, adult tones. She decided maybe it was time to wake her mum. She wasn't sure how she had slept through the whole thing... there wasn't even a twitch from her bed when Emmeline had flown by after the alarms went off...  
  
She froze. Wait a minute... She'd gone by so quickly it hadn't registered but... the bed had been empty!   
  
She hurried to the room and gasped. It wasn't empty now! Steve Negrete was fast asleep in it! And he didn't look like he had anything on...  
  
Her mum was just pinning up her curls, humming to herself.  
  
"Mum!" cried Emmeline, shocked.  
  
Dr. Lennox turned and looked at her with her eyebrows raised. She glanced at the bed and laughed.  
  
"Now, love, you mustn't leap to conclusions. The rooms here are all wide open! I'm not going to... Well, thingy with a man in a room with an open doorway! I woke up with him putting me into bed or taking me out of it. I'm still not sure which. I teased him a little about it and he got terribly flustered and wouldn't tell me a thing."  
  
"That's weird. But... he's got no clothes on..."  
  
"Of course he does, love. I admit I did kiss him, he looked so dear and sad... But then he nearly fell asleep on top of me!"  
  
"Ew..."  
  
Her eyes widened. "Oh! No, I mean that he got sleepy and nearly fell on me. Yes. He was awfully tired; apparently his room was burned in a fire last night?" Emmeline nodded. "So I just told him to go ahead and have a kip. I'm wide awake myself..."  
  
Emmeline relaxed. She didn't want her mum to be lonely, but the idea of her doing the... thingy with Mr. Negrete... well, it was not an image she cherished.  
  
Dr. Lennox walked over to Steve and stroked his cheek. He smiled and patted her hand in his sleep, then pulled the blanket a bit higher. She kissed his lips lightly and walked out. Emmeline started to follow and felt something catch on her foot.  
  
It was a pair of men's shorts and boots. She didn't see any underpants, to her relief. She glanced at Steve, who was now curled up on his side and holding most of the blankets in his arms like a teddy bear. Yes, he was wearing boxer shorts with little dragons on them.   
  
Good.  
  
\-----------  
  
Bunny was checking on everyone. She knew where Sam was, and Chelsea. And of course, poor Leo. She had found Matt charging and Michael and Jingle snuggled together. She approved; it had been a hard night for Mr. Reed.  
  
Peter had gone to bed to sleep off the after effects of the sleeping medication, as had David. Bunny felt a stab of guilty dismay at that. She knew it hadn't really been her that said all those terrible things, and yet she now had the look of pain that came into his eyes as hers to cherish, every time he looked at her. She hadn't done it, but it still hurt.  
  
She met Carol and Emmeline in the hall. Carol seemed no worse for her ordeal, and, like Bunny, had no recollection of it. Unlike Bunny, she had been so overcome that she had become unconscious afterward and seemed to think Steve had been making a clumsy attempt to seduce her. Bunny had no inkling of Steve's skill at seducing, but she saw no reason to alert the scientist to what had really happened. Unlike David, Steve had given her to understand that he had sincerely enjoyed much of what went on, despite having been terrified for Carol's well-being. He always was a thrill seeker.  
  
She moved on, finding Steve still fast asleep in Carol's bed. She approved of this, too. He didn't have a bed anymore; he'd managed to burn it to a crisp. So he could share hers... at least, for sleeping. The rest was none of her business...  
  
She approach the Hall of Wires and knocked. To her dismay, she heard both a male and female voice inside. They were giggling. She took a step backward.  
  
"Come in..."  
  
"Oh, no, no, that's okay..."  
  
The door opened. The Spine was wearing only a pair of shorts.  
  
"No, really, I can go..."  
  
The Spine smiled. "We were just playing chess."  
  
Was that a metaphor? "Um..."  
  
"I've got your knight!" sang Hatchet.  
  
"I'm sorry... we're not playing chess. I'm getting creamed at chess."  
  
Bunny peeked into the room. Hatchet was wearing only a bra and panties, but they were certainly playing chess.  
  
"I didn't realize she was back. If I'd know..."  
  
"You wouldn't have knocked. I suppose it's a bit awkward when you're expecting us to be... Well, she'd been away a long time, after all. And we do other things, Matter Mistress."  
  
"Maybe I should go..."  
  
"Yes, leave me here to die."  
  
"Too soon."  
  
He smiled again and closed the door.  
  
They had assured her that The Spine was the serious one, back when she and her brother came to work. But the one truth in Walter Manor is that things change.  
  
She went in search of Carolina. The girl should have been back by now...  
  
\----------  
  
"So you work with my son. How do you like him?"  
  
She wasn't sure how to answer.  
  
"Ah, yes. I thought so. Well, what have you done about it?"  
  
She frowned. "Nothing. He's fifteen!"  
  
"Not far from your age..."  
  
"When you look at it from the perspective of eternity, sir, I suppose it's not. But to the world, it goes against legal and moral practice..."  
  
"So restrained! You abide by the social mores, then|"  
  
She was taken aback by this. What was he suggesting? And it was his own son, too...   
  
"Of course I do!" she cried. "And what's wrong with that?"  
  
"Well, I..."  
  
"You ever think these laws are around for a reason? Just because I'm jonesing for something I shouldn't have doesn't mean the law should fly out the window! It's there to protect him. He's only fifteen, no matter how much he's seen and endured! He has some growing up to do still... by the looks of you, he's going to get taller at least! And now that he's living somewhere a little bit more stable, maybe he'll get the chance to get back some of that lost childhood..."  
  
"Peace, my dear! I mean no harm. I only think that you do care about the boy, and that the day may come when he is old enough and may see you the way you see him."  
  
"Maybe. I've already accepted that I should never have let myself hope."  
  
"For the best. The world is uncertain."  
  
He opened he two hands and a colorful circle spread between them, expanding until it was large enough to pass through on foot.  
  
"The demons must be sent far enough that they cannot return. To yet another dimension. When you pass through this, you will enter such a dimension. You will still be in the room physically, but you will not see it. To deliver each spirit, you must resist and release it. The natives will take care of the rest. Each demon will be allowed to leave the talisman and face you. When she is defeated, strike her with this."   
  
He handed her a peacock feather.  
  
"Wow, you're vicious," she said flatly.  
  
"It's charmed."  
  
"Alright. You say 'when she is defeated' but I wonder how you can be so confident. I sure as He!! don't feel it..."  
  
"Then rethink your view of the matter. You carried them this far, into the Underworld. You have the power to send them on into the Other Place. I will try to advise you as needed."  
  
She took a deep breath and passed through the circle. What she saw on the other side shocked her so much she almost dropped the feather.  
  
"It... it looks like greater Ponyville..."  
  
"I've never been there," came the old man's voice. "But it is a garden-like place... to those whose hearts are pure."  
  
"My heart is pure? The girl with the hots for an underage boy..."  
  
A demon burst from the necklace. "Underage boy... I heard that... Your Leo is dead. If you hadn't run away, he would still be alive..."  
  
Carolina flinched as though slapped. It was just what she had been thinking!  
  
"Nonsense!" the old man muttered.  
  
Of course. "Ugh..." she groaned. "Just my luck, I get to start with the liar."  
  
To her surprise, the demon shrieked in apparent agony. Carolina brought the feather down on her and she became a dirty little rag doll with a string in her back. As she watched, a cluster of mice scurried from the undergrowth and nibbled the loop from the string, then chewed the doll to shreds in a matter of seconds.  
  
Another demon burst forth. "Of course you weren't troubled," she purred. "You liked it, didn't you? Having power over his life? I can bring you more of that..."  
  
"I don't need it. I can do a lot already. I want him to be the master of his own life."  
  
"But he will never be yours..."  
  
"He wouldn't have been that anyway, even if he loved me. I don't want power over anyone!"  
  
She saw the demon weaken and struck. This one became a jack-in-the-box. Its scary clown face popped out at her and she kicked it across the meadow, where a flock of birds made short work of it.  
  
"David's is gone. So is Steve's..."  
  
The next one flew out. She leaned away when it brought a bow to bear, its arrow aimed at her heart.  
  
"Run..." it breathed.  
  
"N-no..."  
  
"It can do you no harm," said the old man. "It took your Rabbit because she has weapons. The demon has none."  
  
"Run... run for your life..."  
  
That was a pretty convincing bow and arrow. But Carolina believed the man and said, "No... I never did like hunters..."  
  
Down came the feather. The hunter became a wind-up mouse. A cat leaped from seemingly nowhere, snapped it up, and ran away.  
  
"You must be thirsty. Drink..."  
  
The poisoner was the easiest yet. She was changed into a pitcher of dirty water. A little dog ran out, sniffed it, peed in it and knocked it over as he ran away.  
  
"That was weird..."  
  
"Sure was."  
  
Carolina jumped. "Leo?"  
  
"You're doing great, Carolina."  
  
"How'd you get here?"  
  
"Well... I'm kind of in a coma. It's a lot like death, so I ended up roaming about here."  
  
"But... I sent you back! You're not supposed to be in a coma, even!"  
  
"I might wake up. It's okay, because it's made me realize something."  
  
He was very close. Her heart pounded. "I think you'd better not tell me what it is..."  
  
"Carolina," he sighed, his face close to hers. "I can't believe I never realized..."  
  
Carolina stepped away, wiping her tears. "No wonder you were able to take on The Spine, you cold-blooded witch!" she cried. When Leo grimaced in dismay, she struck with the feather. The succubus became a luscious slice of cheesecake. A swarm of what Carolina could swear were pixies flew out and tore it to shreds so quickly she could barely focus. When they'd scattered, she saw that the inside of the cake was... well, from the smell of it, it was poop.  
  
"They're gone," she said, trembling. "Why didn't you tell me the last one was fake? You knew..."  
  
With a flash, she was back in the little room. The old man said softly, "She was the strongest. And she was their leader. If you had failed, she would have been free to muster a new bevy of demon servants... but it had to be done right. Kill the queen to kill the hive."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Well done, child."  
  
Carolina nodded weakly, sat down and cried.


	39. Bunny's rounds end, Looking into old secrets, And someone gets a brand new secret... - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now is the time for a disclaimer. First of all, this chapter was posted months ago, second, these are fictional people based loosely on real ones. Okay.

Bunny continued to walk down the halls, checking up on the workers and all. She passed Guy and saw him jolt awake on his bed, panic strewn into his face. Bunny sighed and walked in, Guy looking up at her.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Shut down," he said. Bun rolled her eyes and sat on the end of the bed, putting a hand on his knee.

"Guy, we already shut down. We don't need to again."

"Shut down," he repeated.

Bunny realized this was one of the many moments he got; incoherent repetition of words and phrases he heard earlier when stressed or scared. He always did this, but this time Bunny was a little off-put by it. Usually she would be fine with it, going along with it or laughing when David put beats to it, but now was different. Maybe it was the tired in her eyes, for it was 8 in the morning and she was still having trouble falling asleep.

With a sigh, Bunny patted his shoulder and pushed him a little to get him to lie back down, pulling the blankets over him again. "Yeah," she mumbled, "shut down."

=

"Check and mate," Hatchet beamed. Six out of six, Hatchet. Spine groaned and put his head in his hands, liking the way she scooted about in the joy of winning. He laughed and looked up at her, putting his hands under his chin, propping his elbows onto his knees. She put his king in her mouth and incinerated it, laughing loudly in his face.

"I win," she shouted. He rolled his eyes.

"You win," he repeated, defeated. "Wanna walk around the manor?"

Soon they were dressed (finally) and hand in hand down the hall, passing the empty office of Cl. Dr. Kinglser. It hurt The Spine to know his best friend was... well... yeah. It hurt everyone, but Spine felt guilty, as if it was his fault for not getting there sooner. Actually, it wasn't his, nor Hatchet's; it was T0mmy's. T0mmy was the one who sent them all to the manor, taking his wife and his friends over. Them as in the evil ones, the demons.

Speaking of which, the defeater of all evil stepped from Leo's office suddenly, Spine seeing flares of lava before her skin covered the ashes and molten rock. Her swim suit was replaced by her Walter Dress and she looked up at them, tears running down her face.

"Are you alright, miss Carolina?" Spine asked. She nodded and wiped her tears, walking the opposite way as them. Hatchet and Spine continued their way, looking in every other room as they passed them. Some were Walter workers relaxing with their giraffes, others were filled with boxes or metal scraps. One, however, was filled with Mr. Negrete's body, half neked.

"I thought I only have to see that once," Hatchet cringed.

"Only once?"

"No need for questions now darling," she said, patting his arm. Steve stirred and woke, looking to the couple.

"Hey," he smiled, stretching. Hatchet and Spine waved quietly to him, then walked on. They walked around a bit more before being stopped by a drowsy Peter with two shovels in his arms. The two watched as he walked, nearly falling into the wall a couple times, then headed towards the back door.

"Chelsea," he mumbled, "come help me." Hatchet let go of Spine's hand and walked towards him, putting her hood up and waving ehr hand over her face. Suddenly she turned into Chelsea! Spine gasped and glared at her, watching as she acted just like her, sounded like her, actually. It was like she was right there and not somewhere with Sam.

"I got it," Hatchet said sweetly to Peter. "You go rest some more, okay?"

Peter nodded and dropped the shovels, pointing to the garbage bag at the side of the back door. "Take that to the graveyard. Break the bag open, and without a question, dump it into the grave of Janelle's." Hatchet nodded, looking to Spine with a grimace. "Now," Peter said, more awake, "Make sure she looks pretty before you close the coffin. For funeral sake."

"Yes, Mr. Walter," she said. Peter walked right past Spine, not even looking at him. Spine realized she put a charm on him once she saw Peter.

"Want my help?" Spine asked. She nodded and turned back into her regular self, grabbing the bag. Spine grabbed the other end, most likely her feet, and they walked out of the manor with the bag.

"I don't think I want to ask why Peter dug his own daughter up from the grave after so long," Hatchet huffed. Spine nodded in agreement and opened the graveyard gates, waiting for Hatchet to close them. They dragged the bag to the grave, Hatchet and Spine taking a moment to look at the stones. Janelle Maryanne Smith-Walter. There was a 5 carved into the top, just the way Spine left it.

Michael Philip Reed. That was sore, hurting Spine deeply. Carving that stone made him want to shut down for a week. At least his goggles were around his neck like he always had them. Matthew Elton Smith-Walter. Drum sticks were in his hands as he lay there, deep in the ground. Spine looked to Hatchet, seeing the dark flames flare up as she stopped, or prevented, herself from crying. Spine put a hand to her shoulder, then knelt down and ripped open the bag.

"Oh my Peter the third," Spine gasped. She looked perfect. It was as if she hadn't died at all! Hatchet put a hand over her, about 5 feet above her, then shuddered.

"Spine, she's not alive," Hatchet said calmly. She put her hand back to her side and looked into the grave, the coffin open for her. "She was just in close proximity of the blue matter which preserved her.... Spine?"

Spine was crying. He was full blown sobbing now, looking up at her. She sighed and knelt beside him, interlocking her fingers with his. "We can do this. You can do this."

They slowly lowered her and shut the coffin, Matt walking up to them.

"Saw you from the window. I can put the dirt in."

"Did you see her?" Hatchet asked.

"Yeah," Matt sighed. "Yeah, I saw her."

The couple left while Matt filled the hole with dirt.

=

Sam woke with a snort and a hand on his, someone pressed against him. He squinted in the sunlight, the drapes open in the room, blinding him. Once everything focused, he saw blue hair and a fine, pale figure...

"Whoa," he breathed, slowly pulling his arm from under hers. "whoa whoa whoa..." That was not what he was expecting. All he remembered was going into Burger King and then maybe the dollar store... Did Chelsea get him drunk? No, she wouldn't, would she? Or did they both get wasted? He pulled the covers over her and slowly got out of bed, holding the sheets to him and reached for his pants.

"Quite the look," Michael laughed. Sam yelped and blushed, looking at Michael. He was blurry, but he could tell who it was. The blue matter tubes were glowing in the dark hallway, and his eyes were bright, too. "No worries. I won't tell anyone."

Sam sighed and shook his head. "Thank you," he laughed. "Now go. I don't have pants on."

"I figured," Michael said before walking on.


	40. Questions Answered

"I'm in love with a daydream..." sang Steve, a little off key. He had wriggled into his shorts and boots and sailed into the kitchen, in search of meat. A dragon needs his protein...  
  
He remembered the night before clearly, so he knew nothing had happened between Carol and himself. But there was something so sassy about waking up in her bed that he still felt like he'd been up to something. He enjoyed feeling like that. Of course, he'd been in shockingly close proximity to her, but it didn't really count. Whereas her pillow in her room smelled like roses...  
  
He hummed and pulled out some leftover chicken and sat down to eat it cold.  
  
"Mr. Negrete."  
  
"Oh, hey Spine... Mrs. Spine.." He winked. Hatchet smiled.  
  
They moved on. Steve gnawed a chicken leg. It was good cold, but... He got up and peeked around the corner, then sat back down. With a little cough, he summoned a short burst of flame and singed the outside of the meat, then took a bite. Much better.  
  
He heard voices approaching and swallowed hard. The flames smothered too quickly and he burped abruptly, smoke puffing from his lips just as Carol and Emmeline passed by. Emmeline snorted with laughter.  
  
Carol looked concerned. "Steven, I didn't know you smoked..."  
  
"Oh, hardly ever... Filthy habit."  
  
"But... what are you smoking?"  
  
"I get asked that all the time." He winked. "I... uh... just threw it down the garbage disposal... And ran water over it... it was, uh, a cigarette. Yep. Thinking of giving them up, though."  
  
"I never even smelled smoke on your breath..." she murmured, sitting beside him.  
  
"Carol... Are you okay?"  
  
"Funny you should ask because I'm that sore! I feel like I've been wrestling an elephant with my legs! And there's this whacking great cut on my calf, and someone's gone and bandaged it, but I have the distinct feeling I've missed something that I should know about."  
  
Emmeline folded her arms and looked at Steve accusingly. He endeavored to look innocent. He was game to take credit if he'd done it but he wasn't getting blamed when he hadn't.  
  
"Alright. I didn't want to frighten you..."  
  
"Bloody stupid way to start, then!" Emmeline sneered. "What've you been doing to my Mum? You give her one of those drugs and..."  
  
"Emmeline! You just watch your mouth, young lady! We aren't accusing Steven of doing anything. I'm sure he wasn't involved."  
  
"Trouble is, I was. Could we speak alone, possibly? I'll gladly tell you the whole thing but it gets a little R-rated in spots..."  
  
"Ohhhh no, you are not going to be alone with my Mum, telling her dirty stories."  
  
That actually sounded kinda fun.  
  
"Alright, I'll censor it the best I can. Carol, the women in Walter Manor were possessed by something last night and attacked the men."  
  
"Oh, my..."  
  
"Pull the other one..." Emmeline snapped.  
  
"It's the truth!"  
  
"It's got bells on...."  
  
Carol shushed her. "So I was possessed? What in the world by?"  
  
"I don't know... I managed to fight you off and drive her out... I think... she left kinda suddenly. I haven't really had time to see if Peter has any theories."  
  
"Fight me off?"  
  
To his very great relief, she was laughing. "Yeah... I kinda enjoyed it." He winked.  
  
She pinked prettily. "But... did I try to hurt you? Oh, I'm so sorry if I did..."  
  
"Well... That's where it gets a little saucy..." He glanced at Emmeline. She could have given Rabbit lessons in staring... and Rabbit was the house champion. "You didn't try to kill me. You were straddling me and you kissed me a lot..." Emmeline twitched. "...And held me down..." Yes, she was definitely showing signs of stress... He grinned, warming to his subject. "And then when I struggled you got rough..."  
  
"Alright, alright! I'll be out in the shed..." Emmeline huffed, storming out.  
  
"Well done, love!" Carol giggled when she'd gone. "So... what really happened?"  
  
Dang it... "Well... All of that. You pounced on me with your nightgown wide open and I admit I thought it was you doing the whole thing..."  
  
"Oh, my word..."  
  
"I was delighted, to be honest..."  
  
"Really, Steven..."  
  
She sounded upset, but she was giving him a look that spoke volumes. He swallowed hard.  
  
"So... I uh... was pretty worried once I realized it wasn't you doing it all... She wanted me to hurt you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah... ugh, it was horrible. I was... I was scared, Carol. I didn't know if you would survive..."  
  
"Me? I was attacking you!"  
  
"Oh, I was fine."  
  
"But..."  
  
"I'm tough."  
  
"Steven..." She flailed her hands about for a moment.  
  
"Um... you okay?"  
  
"You are the most..."  
  
"Wonderful man in the world?" he asked sheepishly.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Oh..." He hadn't expected that.  
  
She pulled him close and kissed him. He hoped she liked smoked chicken...  
  
"So..." he said eventually. "I'm free later if you want to attack me again."  
  
She bopped him gently on the head. "Don't make light of it. I'm going to young Mr. Walter and find out just what he thinks happened!"  
  
"Awww..."  
  
"Possession, Steven! That's not right... Spirits mucking about with my body and doing the things I want to do without me."  
  
He grinned. "Oh, yeah?"  
  
"Well, I don't want to hurt you, but... Oh, stop it."  
  
"Weird thing though..." he said, nibbling at the chicken leg bone. "I thought I heard a voice right before. Warning me, y'know? Probably dreamed it..."  
  
\----------  
  
Peter yawned. "Look, Professor..." He froze. No one had corrected him. "Where's Carolina?"  
  
"I haven't seen her. It's Doctor, by the way."  
  
"Right. Walter Manor is kind of a crossroad. A lot of unexplained things happen here. Why, I've even seen the spirit of my great grandfather looking at Rabbit and shaking his head."  
  
"This is no time for jokes, Mr. Walter!"  
  
Jokes? "I'm very sorry for what happened and I am doing my best to get it sorted out and make sure it doesn't happen again..."  
  
"It won't," said Carolina soberly. She sat down at her desk and started opening mail. She looked tired.  
  
"Couldn't sleep at the hotel?"  
  
"Um... no. I couldn't."  
  
"Well, don't come in here! Go get some rest. You look like death."  
  
She looked at him sharply.  
  
"Sorry, I just mean you look tired, alright?"  
  
"'You look like death.' The funny expressions people use..." Carolina mumbled as she trudged out.  
  
"Poor thing... some people react very poorly to lack of sleep."  
  
"That's not the whole story," said The Spine, sticking his head in through the doorway. "Hatchet says Carolina stopped the demons."  
  
"What?" cried the scientists.  
  
"Demons? Come on, Spine..." Peter scoffed.  
  
"Demons, Peter. They won't be coming back. I thought you should know." He started to leave.  
  
"Wait!" cried Dr. Lennox. "What about the warning?"  
  
The Spine looked at her in surprise. "Michael mentioned hearing something, but I only heard... them..."  
  
"I slept through it. What warning?" Peter asked.  
  
"There was a warning about some of the demons. A comforting voice."  
  
"Hang on... let me text David..."  
  
They waited while he did it, Dr. Lennox twiddling her thumbs and The Spine leaning every now and then a grinning at something, presumably said by his wife.  
  
Peter's phone beeped. "He did! When he felt his worst... yes, he said he heard a voice reassuring him that it wasn't really Bunny... What in the world?"  
  
"Well, I've heard enough. I think your Colonel Walter is still here, or someone from the family, watching over the place. And if that isn't science, well, science can't explain everything. My Emmeline is proof of that."  
  
"But..." Peter wasn't as certain as she was.  
  
"Hatchet says she's right... Wait, Pappy?" The Spine gasped. "Oh! No, she means there are benevolent spirits protecting the Manor."  
  
"But... why?"  
  
"Apparently it's a weak point between dimensions. They're protecting their worlds as well as ours." He shrugged and walked out.  
  
"But..."  
  
"You sound like a slow motor boat, love," said Dr. Lennox. "Well, I have to meet that nice Mr. Negrete. He asked me to see him later about something and... I don't want to wait any longer... I mean, I don't want to keep him waiting..."  
  
Peter wondered whether the place needed water hoses installed. It was like running a coed summer camp for high school kids.  
  
"Tell him to get to a store and buy himself a shirt already!" Peter called. "He's enjoying traipsing around bare chested way too much."  
  
"Of course. I'll see to it he puts some clothes on," she promised as she walked away.  
  
He thought he heard her say something else... "What was that?"  
  
"Oh, was that out loud... yes, well, I said, 'After I take off.'"  
  
"What, on a plane? That's day after tomorrow..."  
  
"In the car, love. Bye!"


	41. Questioning Janelle, Leo's Hospital Stay, and Something Might be Baking... by NinjaPastry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another reminder that A: these are fictional characters modeled loosely after real people and B: this chapter is from last May.

"These walls talk more than we ever will, I can get used to this world standing oh so still," Janelle sang in the workshop, ear buds in her ears and an iPhone in her grip. It was Matt's, but he was busy and it was left on the floor. She had powered on earlier that day, around 9, Matt and Michael no where to be found.  
  
"'Cause sometimes, sometimes, hate can be so beautiful, yeah hate can be so beautiful," she sang along. D.R.U.G.S., a band she made Matt download to his phone before she came to the manor, was her favorite band. She still remembered all the words, so her Pappy wouldn't have too much work to do.  
  
Speaking of, Peter walked in with a shaky David and a relaxed Michael. She smiled at the three, Michael walking over to her. They shared a passionate kiss before David took the phone from her and Peter powered her off. Michael lay her down and held her hand while Peter went to work, holding a vile in his hand.  
  
"Um, dad? What's that?" Michael asked. Peter looked at him, surprised he called him dad, then looked to the vile.  
  
"Janelle," he said simply. David took Janelle's hat and started to unscrew her head, Michael watching it like he felt the pain. He'd seen her be taken apart for repairs many times, but this time it was like watching a human get taken apart before you.  
  
David took off her scalp and set it aside, cranking the table up to have her in a sitting, but layed back, kind of position. Peter stepped over to her and took out her mainframe systems, taking the top off of a tube Michael hadn't noticed before. Peter poured in the vile's greenish black liquid and capped the tube, watching her body shudder and shake for a second before smoke puffed from her cheek vent and it smelled of gasoline int he workshop.  
  
"I think that'll do it," Peter said. "Is she charged up?"  
  
"Yeah," Michael said, "But don't turn her on yet. I want Matt here first."  
  
They waited in silence for a while before Peter spoke u, "Did you see her, Mike? Did you see Janelle's body?"  
  
"It was like she ever died," he said, looking to the floor in a focused but out of it phase. Matt slid into the doorway and walked quickly over to Janelle. Her scalp was back on and David fixed her hair all nice for them.  
  
David reached behind her and turned her on, the boys covering their ears as she let out a shriek of pain and hunched forward, gasping and steaming. Oil streamed down her cheeks and she looked up to Matt. He uncovered his ears and sat in front of her on a stool, trying his best not to cry as well.  
  
"Janelle? What do you remember?" Peter asked. She sputtered out something, sniffling.  
  
"The hub. The comics, the... the concerts and stealing your drum sticks so dad wouldn't think you still had them!" she cried. "I remember!"  
  
"Who am I?" Peter asked, David writing everything down.  
  
"You're... um... Peter. Peter Walter the 6th, and you created my robot form."  
  
"How did you die?"  
  
"Stab wound, I think," she stopped her crying, lost in thought.  
  
"Can you tell us what happened?"  
  
"Peter!" David shouted.  
  
"Shush, Bennett! Tell us how you died, Janelle. Full detail, whatever you can remember."  
  
"I didn't want you to give her back her memories so you could torture her about how she was murdered!" Matt yelled, standing.  
  
"Sit down, Matthew!" Peter yelled. That sounded just like... "Sit down, shut up, and let her tell us what happened!"  
  
"Stop it!" she screamed. It wasn't a shout, like how a child would when someone takes their toy and they shout at them to give it back, it was a scream of when a man grabs a woman and he shouldn't. It was a fearful scream, it was a scream to silence everyone. It was a cry for help.  
  
Michael shut off, his defensive mode kicking in, and Matt as well. The two fell to the floor and Peter looked to David, leaving the room. Peter ran down the hall, David staying behind. Janelle stopped her screaming and David put a hand to her shoulder.  
  
"I need a nap," she said truthfully. David nodded and shut her systems down. He helped Matt and Michael back up and power on.  
  
"She thought he was dad," Matt huffed as he sat up and watched Michael stand. "He shouted like him, so she screamed. She's lucky, we're all lucky, Peter doesn't like to lash out at young girls."  
  
=  
  
Jon and UpGrade's room was empty, and their bags were gone, meaning they had left. Steve started his "work" with Carol, Spine helping them to the vaults downstairs, the only part of the house the robots are allowed to be in that has doors. Well, Rabbit and Jon aren't, but all the others are.  
  
Carolina was asleep in her room, tears dried to her face and a peacock feather tied to a string above the door, Sam and Chelsea were staring at the floor at the dinner table, thinking things over from the previous night, and Leo was waking up. A nurse was at his side when his eyes opened, the different colours catching her off-guard.  
  
"Good morning, doctor," she smiled. "Sleep well? You were in an over-night coma. Everyone was worried about you and a couple came in here to check up on you for a while."  
  
A couple? Spine and Hatchet? Jon and UpGrade? Steve and Carolina? Maybe Michael and Wheel?  
  
"They looked kinda like how you do," the nurse said as she washed her hands in the sink, putting on rubber gloves. "Blue hair, pale skin, dark clothing. You three looked like a traveling act!" She laughed and walked over to him, taking off his shirt and pressing around on his chest. That made the pain worse.  
  
"Ya know," she said slowly, pressing under his breast bone, "you died. You were on a stretcher when you started breathing again, as if something walked right up to you and gave you life!"  
  
That actually explains a lot... he thought.  
  
"Pain level? Hold up fingers," she instructed. "Five being a million bucks and one being I hate the world."  
  
He held up an "O" with his hand and she pulled her hands away, messing with his morphine bag. "I'll fix that right up for ya," she smiled. "My name is Lisa," she said. "It's nice to meet you, too."  
  
Leo grinned and looked at his chest, watching the machine move his lungs open and close for him. He tried to work against the machine, but nothing happened.  
  
"I don't know how you're awake right now," Lisa joked. "Your lungs don't even work. They simply stopped! If we pull the plug on that machine, we pull the plug on you."  
  
The overwhelming sense of displeasure came over him. He didn't want Peter to make him a cyborg, so why not wait it out? Lung transplants were a thing.   
  
=  
  
"So..."   
  
"Um...."  
  
"About last night..."  
  
"Yeah," she sighed, putting her head in her hands. "I don't even... I can't even..."  
  
"Did I even use a...?"  
  
"I didn't see one anywhere..."  
  
"Well," Sam said, smacking his hands down upon the table, standing, "That's about all I need to know. Congrats, Chels. You're probably pregers."  
  
"With your kid!" she shrieked, not in a good way. "Find the darned thing or so help me I will end you and you luscious mustache!" Sam nodded and ran off, Chelsea sitting in the silence the dining hall, Spine walking in.  
  
"Luscious mustache? Do I need to ask?"  
  
"Probably not the best idea," she huffed.


	42. Hatchy's Breakthrough, Mad Robot, Steve and Carol - Whistler

Chelsea suddenly needed to be somewhere else. After she left, Hatchet materialized, laughing.   
  
"He's got delusions of grandeur. You'd think they had no idea how their own biology works."  
  
"In my experience, they don't. Besides, it's possible..."  
  
"On the first try?"  
  
"It's happened."  
  
There was a moment of silence, and she started laughing. "Oh, you mean the Colonel and Iris..."  
  
"Bullseye."  
  
They were both giggling like loons when Hatchworth wandered into the room. He froze, fists shaking at his sides, but surprisingly, remained silent. Hatchet hastily scrambled onto The Spine's shoulders.  
  
Rabbit came in as they went out. "Hey..." she said faintly, watching Hatchet fade to invisibility.  
  
The Spine raised an eyebrow at Rabbit but just said, "Let's go check out the grounds..."  
  
In the quiet of the room, Hatchworth let out a violent hiss. Steam poured from his stove pipe until he hung forward wearily, shaking his head.  
  
"I don't think I can do it..."  
  
"Aw, ya did great, buddy! Didn't say a mean thing."  
  
"But I said nothing polite either."  
  
"Gotta w-w-walk before ya can run, Hatchy. We gonna played checkers or what?"  
  
Hatchworth stood. "I will kick your butt."  
  
"Hey, we ain't playing that kind. I only play that with The Spine."  
  
"You'd think he'd learn not to play checkers with you."  
  
\----------  
  
Emmeline was building. She had been unusually inspired by the objects in the shed and found new and amazing ways to connect them. She wasn't sure why her mum hadn't come to get her yet but she didn't think of it often because half the time she suspected it was because she'd gone off to be biological with Mr. Negrete and that led to the mental image of going back to England to await the the birth of a little moustachioed baby with a husky voice... At which point she generally shook her head violently and went back to building with renewed purpose.  
  
And so passed the morning.  
  
By lunchtime, she had what looked surprisingly like a robot. But as she had no core or brain to power it, she wrangled it into a sitting position and started fitting it with flowerpots.  
  
But it needed something.  
  
She went inside and wandered the rooms, nodding to various workers, watching a game of checkers... finally ending up in an old laboratory.   
  
Everything was covered with dust. Why was all the equipment just left sitting? Surely they'd store it or something...   
  
Well, as it wasn't wanted enough to be put away properly, maybe the parts could find a new purpose. That was her primary skill, notwithstanding her mum's attempt to program her for communications.  
  
Back in the shed, she began to fit pieces into her robot. Well, it was more of a sculpture...  
  
Ten minutes later, she was rocketing across the lawn, screaming, "Mad robot! Mad robot!"  
  
The Spine was the first to respond. Hatchet jumped down from his shoulders and scooped up Emmeline.  
  
"It was s'posed to be a planter and I just added some old tubes and coils and springs and this funny little dish with some kind of jelly in it and the jelly STARTED GLOWING and the whole bloody mess got up and started following me and one of those tubes is a BLOODY LASER and and I'm sorry! I'm sorry! AGH!"  
  
They dodged a laser blast and ran toward the back of the Manor.  
  
"I don't have enough weapons online to stop this alone," The Spine said, frustrated. He signaled the other robots with his wifi as he scolded, "You must have gotten one of Rabbit's old weapons, Miss Emmeline. Were you wandering the Manor unsupervised?"  
  
"I'm ssoooorrrryyyy!" she wailed.  
  
"No time for reprimands now, my love. Are the others coming?"  
  
"They think I'm joking!" The planterbot was following them around the corner of the house. They kept moving, trying to keep it following so it wouldn't head inside.  
  
\----------  
  
"I'm trying to apologize..." Sam sighed. "I scoured the room, the bathroom, the trash can... the toilet for crying out loud..."  
  
"It's not your fault! I don't know what the crap happened but I'm sure it was a team effort. Can we just let it drop?"  
  
"But... y'know, we were kinda snuggled when we woke up. All cuddly like, like we felt, well... didn't really seem like it was just meaningless... well, y'know, like maybe we'd both kinda wanted to all along..."  
  
"Ugh! Have you seen Steve this week? Flirting like crazy with Carol... now I hear they snuck down to the vault together? Think about it! If you wanted a romance, you probably should have started with one, jerk!"  
  
"See... you are mad at me..."  
  
"Sam! Dang it!"  
  
"I was only kidding, though, I mean, there's a good chance you're not pregnant..."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"And it's not like I get around enough to have any weird infections..."  
  
"How comforting..."  
  
"Mad robot!" screamed Rabbit, laughing as she sprinted through the hallway, narrowly missing the two Walter workers.  
  
"Isn't that supposed to be a bad thing, sister?" Hatchworth called, running after her. He heard only a mad cackle in response.  
  
"Wait..." Sam said, staring. "Are they playing a game or..."  
  
"It's got the three of them cornered at the side of the house. Did anyone call Petes? He'd get a kick out of this..."  
  
"Rabbit, it's a BAD THING!"  
  
"Aw, crap," said Chelsea, starting to run for the back door. "Come on, get the tasers."  
  
"Should you really be out fighting mad robots in your condition?"  
  
"Will you please shut up about that? And I don't have a condition!"  
  
"I'm just saying that unless blue matter makes you shoot blanks..."  
  
"Someone will hear you!"  
  
"A guy feels protective of the woman he lo..."  
  
"Don't finish that!"  
  
\----------  
  
Steve and Carol stood at the door of the vault, straightening each others' clothes. Well, Steve was still in his shorts, but Carol had a good many layers and they'd been more fun to remove than to put back on...  
  
Something tickled at his ears... something too faint for human ears to hear. Rabbit was screaming, "Mad robot!"  
  
Well, duh. But as he focused his sharp dragon hearing, he heard the rest.  
  
"Something's up outside, Carol. Gotta scoot."  
  
"But isn't that where Emmeline..."  
  
"Aw crap... Alright, I'll go save her."  
  
"You stubborn sod! Suppose it's something dangerous? You're only human, you know."  
  
He snorted as they headed up the stairs. "Funny thing about that..."


	43. Talking, Planterbot contained, Pregnancy Test - NinjaPastry

Michael and Matt sat with Janelle in her room, listening to her rest. Her engine roared and settled every other minute, probably processing emotions and memories. Michael could hear Matt's engine rev a few times, jumping when hers did. The two had gotten a pack of all-robots-included playing cards from the SPG merch boxes and had began playing.   
  
With a Steve Negrete card in his hand, Michael pressed not the pile and slipped a Spine card into his layout. Matt looked over the three Rabbits, two Jons and a Michael Reed before jumping again, less this time, and letting out a sigh.  
  
"Jons?" Matt asked. Michael shook his head and Matt slipped a card into his deck. UpGrade.  
  
"Got any Steves?"  
  
"Nope," he sighed. Matt put a Spine in his grip and shifted his criss-cross-applesauce before looking up at Mike.  
  
"Spine," Michael said. "Please."  
  
Matt grinned and handed Michael the Spine card from his hand and he put it down before him, adding to the three little packs of two he already had; Hatchworth and Peter.  
  
"Alrighty, then," Matt smiled, "UpGrades?"  
  
"Not even one," Michael laughed. "I didn't even know she was in the deck!"  
  
"Yeah, either did I," Matt joined.  
  
"I wonder if Hatchet's in here," Michael said, putting down his cards, taking the whole deck into his grip.  
  
"Who's Hatchet?" Matt asked.  
  
"She's the one who helped us live," he said, "Spine's lady."  
  
"Ah, the ever so famous Mrs. Walter. Is she nice?"  
  
"She kills people, but she was nice enough to save our lives, so I guess so." He continued looking through, throwing a Matt Smith at Matt Smith-Walter.   
  
"What do you mean by that, 'kills people'?"  
  
"She works for the Grimm Reaper or something," Michael said before throwing another Matt Smith at him. He dodged it and it flew over to Jan's bed and landed on the floor, making them look to each other. Matt reached over and picked it up, flinching as her engine revved loudly and settled.   
  
"And she saved our lives? Like, didn't take out souls to Limbo or whatever?" Matt asked, handing the card back to Michael only to have it thrown at him again.  
  
"I guess so," he sighed, picking out a Michael Reed. He set the deck down, looking at the art of his face when he was still a human being, a banjo in his grip and a grin on his skinny face. He looked over to the mirror in the wall and sighed, running a finger over the cheek vents of his face.   
  
"Well, she did what was right," Matt proclaimed. "She let Janelle and I have the life we should have," he smiled. "I mean, we're both in a loving home with musically talented people around every corner, my best friend loves her and protects her, and our guardian would do anything for us."  
  
"Well, when he's not yelling."  
  
"Yeah," Matt sighed. "I don't want he to tell him that. If anyone I want her to tell the police. It's murder, and it's illegal."  
  
"It was two years ago," Michael said.  
  
"Yeah, but murder cases go noticed for 14 years and then get dropped. I don't think it will be 12 more years before she says something."   
  
"Just drop it for right now, alright It's not something to talk about..."  
  
"I'll stop talking about it once you stop looking in the mirror and wishing you were human. We all do."  
  
"Yeah, but I had a family to be with. My mom is going to be... I can't imagine how heart broken she is..."  
  
"Have they told her?"  
  
"No. According to channel 2 I'm missing. The crash was supposedly you and a man who died three years ago or something like that."  
  
Matt scrunched up his nose and looked at Janelle. "Well," he said, "I guess I can wait for her to talk to the police. You, however, need to get a hold of your mom and tell her the truth."  
  
"After that can Jan and I have a night by ourselves?"  
  
"The vaults are free, man. You know that darn well."  
  
=  
  
"Run!" Spine shouted. Hatchet nodded and ran ahead of him, taking Emmy from him and putting her on her shoulders, her hood falling off in the process. The robot child shrieked and Spine snatched Hatchet before a laser could hit her.   
  
"It's a laser beam of Blue energy sources Rabbit had in the great Copper War," Hatchet said to Emmy as she bolted down the hallway. "I don't know why Pappy kept it after all this time!"  
  
"He was planning on keeping it just in case the Beciles acted up again and were going to war with the Walters," Spine replied. "Great idea, huh?"  
  
"Indeed!" Emmy said sarcastically, holding on tightly to Hatchet's neck. Steve came up from the vault stairs and nearly fell back into Carol as a 900 pound robot, a 9 pound robot, and a 128 pound robot fled past them, a small robots made of plant pots and misc. robot parts blasted blue energy lasers at them.   
  
"Make a left and head up stairs," Spine directed, "There's a jail cell in there specially made for Rabbit's time-outs!"  
  
"Not gonna ask," Hatchet yelled back. They ran to the right and up the small stairwell, then swerved around the corner. The planter-bot landed straight into the cell and Hatchet waved her hand, shutting the door, then locked it.   
  
"That'll do it," Hatchet said. Spine steamed violently and fell to his knees, then face planted. Hatchet set Emmy down and walked slowly to Spine putting a hand to his back blade and noticing the blue matter bleeding from his back. She held her breath and flipped him over onto his side, Emmy watching as she kissed him and a bright flash of darkness surrounded them.   
  
Emmy was suddenly perplexed of how darkness could fill a room in an instant and Spine's eyes glow a bright green. He grabbed Hatchet's face and pulled her in for another one.   
  
"Gross," Emmy sighed, looking to her creation. It screamed and blasted lasers at the energy shield, making her laugh. Steve ran up the stairs, Spine pulling Hatchet's hood up and slowly getting off the floor.  
  
"What happened?" he asked.   
  
"Mad robot," the two visible ones said in unison.   
  
"Everybot alright?"  
  
"I was shot, but I'm fine," Spine replied in all honesty. Steve looked to him, seeing a slight glimmer beside him, making him wonder exactly how he was "fine". He shrugged and nodded, walking back down the steps.  
  
"C'mon, sweetheart," Hatchet purred in Spine's ear, "Let's go relax or not relax some." Spine stood and Emmy huffed a sigh, following him down the steps and to Carol as Spine took himself and his lady to the H.O.W.   
  
=  
  
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Peter groaned, walking down the drug store isles in search for a test of sorts. While he was there he slipped a box of rubbers into the basket for the entire manor to feast upon in all it's needy teenager-like romances that require them. His phone began to ring and he answered it, not looking to see who it was.  
  
"Mr. Walter?" a female asked. He said it was him and she continued. "Hello, my name is Lisa Denton from the Mercy San Diego, and I'm calling to inform you of Leo's condition."  
  
Peter held his breath, stopping his walking down the shampoo isle. "Go... go on..."  
  
"Mr. Kinglser has been put back into the ICU early this morning and will be staying there until he is better. However, I only see him getting worse. Would you like for me to up his support or would you like me to wait it out, or there is the other optio-"  
  
"Don't pull the plug on that boy," he nearly shouted. Someone looked at him from the other end if the isle and he waved turning around and looking away from the person.   
  
"Okay, sir, what would you like me to do, then?"  
  
"Up his support, please. I can have one of my professionals come over there and help out," he offered, a hated woman in mind, "But that's only if needed."  
  
"Actually sir, any extra help would be wonderful. Please send him or her over any time soon. Thank you sir, and have a good rest o the day." She hung up and Peter called The Spine, hearing him answer a little breathless.  
  
"Spine, get Hatchet over to Mercy. Leo needs her help. Now."  
  
"I'm busy.. she's busy right now, Peter. Um, ten minutes."  
  
"Make it five and I'll sound proof the H.O.W."  
  
"Deal," Spine said, hanging up the phone. Peter rolled his eyes from behind his mask and continued looking, his nerves on end like crazy. His daughter was realizing she wasn't his daughter and now his near-son was dying. Wonderful.


	44. Pregnancy Test?, Spine's owwie, A dragon's proposal - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Message originally included for NinjaPastry - (here's one just to throw you a curve ball or two... but I'll do you a favor and leave them open so that you can reverse back if you were meaning to... just saying, a bored Rabbit is a menace and will say or do anything to be NOT bored... she could be lying or not lying...)

"How long does it take?" asked Sam.  
  
"I wouldn't know," she said dryly.   
  
"Well, I don't know either!"  
  
"No one said you did, Sam. Maybe you should take a break... go get something to eat." Peter nodded toward the doorway while Chelsea retreated with the test.  
  
"I couldn't eat anything right now..."  
  
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."  
  
They sat down to wait.  
  
Rabbit strolled by. "I'm bored," she said.  
  
"Congratulations," Sam muttered, drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair. "I'd give anything to be bored right now."  
  
"Looks pretty boring in here to me."  
  
"Can you go be bored somewhere else, Rabbit?" Peter asked. "Everyone here has a lot to think about."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Ugh!" Sam put his hands over his face.  
  
"It's gonna get around anyway, Sam..."  
  
"Fine," came his muffled response.  
  
"Sam thinks he might have gotten..."  
  
"Don't put it like that! It sounds like I did it by myself!"  
  
"Well..."  
  
Chelsea appeared from the bathroom, holding the test. Rabbit snorted.  
  
"What?" snapped Sam.  
  
"I've seen one of those before! Back when they found out Annie was expecting!"  
  
"So what's so funny?"  
  
"You fell for it!"  
  
"What?" they all said together.  
  
"Me and Hatchy found Ricky and Lucy here passed out in the foyer so we stripped 'em and stuck 'em in bed together!"  
  
Sam started up from his seat. "What?"  
  
Rabbit bolted from the room, giggling insanely, leaving the humans looking at each other in confusion.  
  
\----------  
  
"Alright, I'll go, but you need to see Peter now!" Hatchet insisted.  
  
He smiled up at her from the hammock. "You didn't say that ten minutes ago."  
  
"Ten minutes ago I was speechless. Shut up and get that wound some attention or I won't go!"  
  
"You'd leave him to die?"  
  
"Of the two of you? Given the choice? Even though you're the one asking for it? What do you think?"  
  
He pulled her down for one more kiss. "Thank you. Alright, I'll go get Peter to patch me up."  
  
She slipped into her clothes, muttering. "Old soldiers, think they're bloody invincible. Been through four bleedin' wars and still got to be a hero..."  
  
"I said I'd go... I promised you'd be on your way in five minutes..."  
  
"I know. Just venting." She vanished.  
  
He grinned. "That accent. Rrrrawr..."  
  
He felt sleepy in that strange way he sometimes did, despite not being able to sleep in the traditional human sense. He considered staying there for a little stasis time... but he knew that if she came back and found him there, well, the response would be anything from panic at thinking he was dead to a rage he did not want directed at him.   
  
He started to get up from the hammock. It wasn't easy; his laser wound hurt more than he had let on. He had his priorities, and apparently danger got her... well, he didn't want the moment to pass unappreciated. He knew what he could handle... at least, he thought he did. As his feet hit the floor, his legs buckled. He clutched at the stiff wire hammock and cried, "Qwerty! Online, command 925 Silver!"  
  
"Guacamole?" said Qwerty, swinging in close.  
  
"No! Help me!"  
  
"Whut iz wrong, Sp13n?" asked Qwerty, bringing wires in to scoop him up under the armpits like a kitten. "Y r u liek a rag dol?"  
  
"I'm not a rag doll! I just... overdid it."  
  
"Ur leeking."   
  
Qwerty plopped him sideways in the hammock. He scrambled to keep from flipping upside down. Once he was stable, he leaned back carefully and sighed.  
  
"Yeah, I do that when I have a hole in my back. Just call Peter, alright? I... I need his help." He wasn't thrilled. He'd intended to comply with Hatchet's worried orders but he still hadn't been able to forgive Peter for what he'd done. But it was his pride or his life... and worse than that, his wife's rage.  
  
"On it1 uwu," Qwerty said smartly. The AI always like feeling important, like a child.  
  
"And Qwerty... get me my pants."  
  
\----------  
  
"Mum!" cried Emmeline, lunging at Carol.  
  
"Emmeline, love! You daft child, what did you do?"  
  
"I'm sorry!"  
  
"That's not an answer, dear..."  
  
"I built a little planter, Mummy..."  
  
"Oh, now you're trying to sweet talk me..."  
  
"I needed adult supervision! And you were off snogging!"  
  
Carol looked awkwardly around at the Walter workers, who were organizing to clear up the damage. "Yes, of course, I'm very sorry about that, but..."  
  
"It was just snogging, wasn't it?"  
  
"Well, now, that's not your..."  
  
"Only your cardigan's melted just there..."  
  
"Is it?" she asked absently, looking at Steve for support. His eyes were wide. "What?" She blinked.  
  
"Um..."  
  
What Emmeline had said finally sank in. "Would you look at that? How did my cardigan get melted? The heat it would take to do that must be..."  
  
She stared at Steve.  
  
"I... had better help with the clean up, hadn't I?" Emmeline said slowly. "All my fault, really. Must dash..."  
  
And she was rocketing away before either one broke eye contact.  
  
"You were saying?" she said softly. "About being only human, I think it was? Only you seemed to be uncertain. I rather got the impression you were going to say you weren't but of course that's ridiculous... Just one of those tough man things you sometimes say, correct?"  
  
"Carol..." He shook his head. "You won't believe it..."  
  
"I have a marvelous imagination. Steven, does this have anything to do with your room burning to bits?"  
  
"A lot, actually."  
  
"Ah. And that... that demon trying to get you to hurt me. Did she have a particular way in mind?"  
  
"Lucky for both of us, yes..."  
  
"Out with it."  
  
"I'm a dragon."  
  
"You're never..."  
  
"I am, though."  
  
"Steven Negrete!" she cried, her maternal tones kicking in. He shushed her hastily and she shook her head. "Either you're lying to me now, or you were lying to me! Which is it?"  
  
"Carol, there's people listening..."  
  
"Let them sodding listen! Did I just make love to a dragon or not?" she demanded.  
  
"You tell us," said Bunny, winking as she passed. David, a short distance away, snickered.  
  
"Alright, fine, let's discuss this in private!" she hissed, grabbing him by the arm with a surprisingly strong grip and hurrying toward the house.  
  
"The vaults are the only place private enough..."  
  
"Fine, but just talk this time!"  
  
"Yes, Carol..."  
  
"And you owe me a new cardigan!"  
  
"Wasn't it worth one cardigan? I thought it was worth a truckload..."  
  
"It was worth all the cardigans in Bournemouth, Steven, but I still have to keep warm! I resist heat, I always feel a chill..." She frowned. "Except earlier in the vaults. It was lovely and warm in there... after the first few minutes..."  
  
They stopped at the bottom of the vault staircase. He looked at her and smiled. "You mean, right about the time you stuck your tongue in my ear?"  
  
"Oh, please... well, yes, now you mention it."  
  
"I always did like that..."  
  
"So it was you?"  
  
"Yes. I am a dragon. We... y'know... you were there. And I heated up because dragon. I never would have taken you... well, I never would have taken you, period, if you weren't heat resistant. Never saw that coming. Usually I can only make time with other dragons..."  
  
"You Americans have a thousand and one phrases for... thingy... don't you?"  
  
"You British only seem to have one."  
  
"It gets the job done." She sighed huffily. "You are the most exasperating thing..."  
  
"Now I'm a thing?"  
  
"I didn't mean it that way. Just suppose... suppose I were to..."  
  
"To what?" he asked eagerly.  
  
"I'm going to turn the fire hose on you..."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"What if I were to... you know... find myself on the nest or something?"  
  
His grin widened. "I suppose I'd just have to make an honest woman of you..."  
  
"Oh, don't be so primitive, society no longer demands..." She froze. "What?"  
  
"I'd kinda like to do that anyway... Carol... I... I can't ask you, though. It would be hard enough just being from different countries or backgrounds if I was human, but..."  
  
"Steven, love..."  
  
"Steve!" crackled a voice.   
  
He grabbed his radio phone. "Steve here!"  
  
"The Spine's unconscious... he sustained damage and has a couple of leaks. Qwerty called me. Everyone seems to be busy... what about you? I can still call one of them if you're occupied..."  
  
She suspected she knew what he meant by "occupied."  
  
Steve looked at her. She nodded. "No, I'm free."  
  
"Meet me in the HoW."  
  
"Coming. Um... on my way." He clicked off the radio. "He knows. Didn't want any double entendres..."  
  
She smiled, but she felt thoroughly drained. "Go on, then. I'd hate for anything to happen to The Spine."  
  
He started up the stairs, two at a time, and stopped halfway. "Carol?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Think about it? I intend to live here for a while... for me. For you... a lifetime. I... don't like the thought of you leaving tomorrow... and, well, I think I could keep from torching any more rooms or melting sweaters if I'm clever about it. Gotta go."


	45. Mending Leo, Knocked Up, Walter Squared Junior - NinjaPastry

She covered her face, the silver metal disappearing, and put on a nice blue and white dress from Jingle's room that was a little big for her, but she had re-sewn it to fit her swimmingly. Hatchet had pinned her hair back into a fancy but casual bun and covered her arms with the same prosthetic she used for her face. She looked human, like she had been one all along.  
  
As she walked into the hospital through the employee only door, she flashed a little flip-book with psychic paper in it to a doctor and walked on, in search for the ICU. The amount of tearing souls and screaming spirits told her where it was, seeing a faint one float next to her as she walked. Burned ear, bullet wounds; Leo.  
  
Her black high-heels clicked as she briskly walked, even though she wanted to float along. But, she was human for the day, and even had to put in robotic eyes to make it looks she had human eyes. They were brown, but she didn't mind. The ICU hallway was dark, only few lights on and even those were flickering. It made her cringe as she passed a room where a young man was hacking and wheezing, throwing up a bit and a child, probably as young as 3, was crying as a doctor showed her the x-ray of her broken, nearly shattered arm.  
  
"Excuse me," Hatchet asked a nurse, "Where is Mr. Kinglser being held?"  
  
"Oh," the nurse sighed, "He's been moved to the end of the hallway, high security. He's not allowed to have visitors at this time."  
  
"I'm the extra help that he needs. I'm his at-home nurse, Mrs. Penere, and I feel as if I could help him along to recovery."  
  
"Are you authorized by his current nurse?"  
  
"Yes," she lied, "I am. She's expecting me."  
  
The nurse looked the extremely tall lady over and nodded, waving her on. "It's the one on the left," she said as Hatchet ran down the hallway. She knocked on the closed door and Lisa answered, looking back to the man-child in the bed, unseen by the machines.  
  
"Hatchet?" Lisa asked. Hatchet nodded and Lisa let her in, watching as the fake human waved her hand over herself and like a cloak the human look went away. Lisa stood against the wall as Hatchet sat beside Leo, took out her eyes and put in her regular photoreceptors.  
  
"Couldn't see a bloody thing with those in," she mumbled before grabbing a few bottles and viles of herbs and potions from thin air. She placed them all on the food tray and began to get to work. "How long has he been asleep?"  
  
"The medication put him out about 12 minutes ago and we called twenty."  
  
"Sorry I couldn't get here sooner," Hatchet said, looking back to the thin woman. "I meant to leave sooner but my husband was not hiving it." They laughed and then Hatchet got serious again, grabbing a needle and shoving into the bottle in her hand, a glowing blue liquid within it. She sucked up some of the liquid and shoved the needle into Leo's chest, bare and covered with wires, and waited.  
  
Leo started to twitch and then jolted, chocking on the tubes shoved down his esophagus and windpipe. Lisa pulled them out and Leo puked on the floor, then gasped for breath.  
  
"Inhaler!" Hatchet yelled. Lisa provided it and Hatchet stuck it in his mouth, pulling the needle out while he sucked up the medicine.  
  
=  
  
"Then how come this is... oh no... SAMUEL LUKE!" Chelsea screamed. Sam turned around from down the hall and ran back, his heart stopping as Chelsea showed him two pink stripes. Sam felt sick, grabbing his mouth and sitting in the chair he had claimed before Rabbit screwed them over.  
  
"And I'm not one to love up to any one in this place," she huffed, tears forming in her eyes. She felt the warm tears fall down her face. Some fell onto the floor or on her dress, one slipping into her mouth, letting her taste the salty fear."I hate you," she said calmly. "I hate you, Samuel Luke. I hate you!"  
  
She threw the test at him and it hit him on the leg, falling to the floor. She screamed at him without any words and fell to her knees in full tears, Sam stood from his chair and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She fell into him and cried against his shoulder.  
  
"We can make this work, Chels. I promise we can," he said softly. "We're friends now, or maybe not, but we can do this. I do kinda like you," he laughed.  
  
"How did this even happen?" she asked him. He grabbed her hand and they interlocked fingers, Sam shrugging.  
  
"I guess one of us got a little too comfortable or something," he said with a slight smile. "I don't know who," he grinned at her, making her smile a little. "That or Rabbit got hands-y and made us."  
  
"That's weird I don't want to think about that," she said in return quickly. "I still hate you."  
  
"I know." They sat there and held each other until Sam decided it was time to get up and say something about it. "You have a choice, Chels, you know."  
  
"I know an I don't want to take this away. I'm tired of my mom buggering me about being my age and not having kids." They laughed and Sam helped her stand, then leaned in and gently kissed her. She kissed back and wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his hand to her waist.  
  
=  
  
"Hatchet did the most of the work here, bud," Steve said as Spine looked at his hands and his ring. "All I can really do for you is replace the part and give you some extra oil to numb it."  
  
"Anything is fine," Spine said, "But make sure you fix whatever his my spine, please. Hatchet may think she fixed it, but we all know she always misses on me. It's a fetish."  
  
"I see," Steve laughed. He took out the busted plate and Spine screamed, Steve retracting his hands. "Oops," he mumbled. He switched off Spine's sensors from underneath a crook on his neck and continued to work, Spine letting out a puff of steam.  
  
"Spine, sometimes you gotta clean up the oil you two leave on the floor," Steve laughed as he poked around in Spine's spine. He pulled out a tube and snipped it with tweezers and replaced it with a copper one wrapped in electrical tape, then placed a new plate in place of the old one. He flipped Spine's sensors back on and he spun around, Steve giving him a high-five.  
  
"You all better?" Steve asked. Spine nodded and stood, patting his shoulder.   
  
"No telling anyone about the oil on the floor. The Master Twins may know, but no one else does, especially Peter. He kinda does, but not for what' coming from it, okay?"  
  
"Wait, what are you saying?"  
  
"QWERTY, shut down," Spine said. The stupid robot shut off and Spine smiled, patting the hammock for him to sit as h did himself. Steve sat and awkwardly fiddled his thumbs, Spine wrapping an arm around his shoulder.  
  
"There comes a time when two people love each other very much something starts to happen-"  
  
"I know the talk, Spine. Congrats on having a kid! Who's building the little turd?"  
  
"Hatchet is, and I'm helping, of course."  
  
"She's quite handy. The east wing top floor is kinda clear, or I can have workers clear it out for you three to live in,"Steve offered, Spine letting out a huff of steam.   
  
"That would be great, Steve," he smiled. "And you might want to clear out another living home-y type space or another couple, too," he smiled. "Just don't tell Chels or Sam I said that."  
  
"Not a problem," Steve said before leaving, laughing hysterically once he shut the door.


	46. Pete is Tired; Awww, Steeb! - Whistler

Peter A Walter VI sat with his mask off, head back, staring at the ceiling, arms dangling from the arms of his chair. He felt like a father left in charge of the kids for a week, waiting for his wife to come home... and knowing she was going to kill him when she saw what had happened while she was gone.  
  
Things had gone straight to... well, nowhere good. He had just been trying to be a good scientist. He had all the pretty test tubes and lab coats and a fleet of workers all working with robots and all sorts of fascinating experiments...  
  
But could science just make nice and be science? Of course not... test subjects had to disappear and reappear in other countries and other dimensions. The dead had to come drifting through the manor at regular intervals, possessing half the staff and trying to use them to gobble up the other half. And the staff! They all kept falling in love with one another and getting pregnant... that was the pale skin and blue hair, he was sure of it. Made them shut ins... they got lonely and turned up in each others' beds... It was nothing new, he'd read tales in the Colonel's journals. Even the Colonel himself...  
  
Sam was just lucky he'd been able to get his hands on one of those controversial day one early pregnancy tests... or was he? The man had tried to make a break for it... Peter had slipped out after Sam came back and scared the living daylights out of him by going all soft and mushy on Chelsea. Had he really had a thing for her all along or was he just deluding himself? Some guys had a way of falling in love with any woman willing to share a bed...  
  
All in all, the whole manor had gone nuts...  
  
"Peter... you okay?"  
  
And then there was Carolina.  
  
"Fine..." he sighed, settling his mask over his face. "Just... tired. Nothing seems to be going according to plan anymore. Janelle hates me, I'm pretty sure..."  
  
"Give her a little time."  
  
"Speaking of time... I heard that during that night you were away you did something for us..."  
  
"How is that speaking of time?"  
  
"Thank you, Carolina. We were all in a pretty bad spot... I couldn't have stopped them even if I had woken up."  
  
"It was for the good of the manor. that's my job," she mumbled, looking down at her hands.  
  
"I think you'd have done the same for total strangers... but I won't talk about it any more if it bothers you. Did you want something?"  
  
"Just wondering about Leo. I heard he wasn't doing well."  
  
"Once I get an update I'll let you know."  
  
She nodded.  
  
He watched her for a moment, fastening his mask on securely. "Look, you want to play cards or something?"  
  
She stared at him. "Are you getting paternal with me?"  
  
"Please, don't say 'paternal'... Just about everything I associate with that word has happened in the worst way. I was just thinking that as two of the few people here who aren't completely insane I thought you and I could just indulge in some not insane activity like a card game."  
  
"How about a movie?"  
  
"Oh, I don't really go to... anywhere."  
  
"No, just downstairs. Old videotape or something. I know, an old Disney movie. Nothing bad ever happens in those..."  
  
"Tell that to Bambie, Simba, and Old Yeller. But I'm sure we can find a safe one."  
  
\----------  
  
Steve marched cheerfully down the hall. He always felt good about completing a job. Now he could go find Carol and...  
  
He stopped short.  
  
"I... asked her to... marry me..."  
  
He hadn't actually meant to do it... It had just sort of happened. He wasn't sorry he did it, but... it wasn't very practical,, really...   
  
He started walking again. Maybe he should tell her he'd come to his senses? Then she would probably be relieved... she hadn't really been all that excited when he asked her... yeah, she'd probably be glad, to be free to head back to England...  
  
And never see him again.  
  
He felt like he'd taken an arrow to the chest. He put his tools away and went looking for Carol.  
  
"Emmeline?" he cried when he found her sitting in the library. "Where's your mum?"  
  
Emmeline didn't answer.  
  
"Are you mad at me?" Steve asked.  
  
"I thought you were nice," she said quietly, smoothing the fur on her doll's head.  
  
"What?" He said beside her on the couch. "I'm nice. I'm the sweetest guy ever."  
  
She looked at him askance.  
  
"Alright, Michael Reed is the sweetest guy ever. But I'm pretty good."  
  
"Then why was Mum crying?" she demanded.  
  
"Was she?" he asked apprehensively. He felt a little sick. She was probably going to tell him no... unless it was one of those weird things where she was all happy and stuff... human women were sometimes like that... Or maybe she was upset because she cared but couldn't deal with the differences in... well, species.  
  
"Yeah," she said, but she didn't sound mad anymore. She touched his face. "You look worried, Mr. Negrete."  
  
"I... it's a personal problem."  
  
"Personally between you and Mummy."  
  
"You're nosey, kid."  
  
"I know it. I'm interested in everything... especially stuff that might turn out to affect me."  
  
"Emmeline?"  
  
"Carol!" Steve cried, standing quickly. "I wanted to talk to you..."  
  
"And I want to talk to you as well, Steven. We'll be back in a few minutes, love."  
  
"Don't hurry," said Emmeline, suddenly very interested in dressing her Rabbit-headed Barbie doll.  
  
They hurried off the the vaults yet again, checking carefully for other people.  
  
"Carol, I just want to tell you it's okay if you say no, I totally understand..." he murmured, looking down at her feet.  
  
She frowned. "Are you going back on your offer?"  
  
He looked up. "Are... are you saying you've really considered it?"  
  
"Well, yes, love, I have, very seriously... but of course if you've gotten cold feet..."  
  
"No! I did for a few minutes and then I remembered you were leaving and... I don't want you to go, Carol. I mean, not without me. If that's what you want."  
  
"Oh, Steven..."  
  
"I can't believe you considered it... so... what's your answer?"  
  
"Steven... I... I think I'm in love with you."  
  
"Oh..." he breathed, heart pounding. "That's... that's awesome!"  
  
"But..."  
  
"What..."  
  
"I have to say no, dear..."  
  
"What?" he asked a little shrilly.  
  
"It's just no good..."  
  
"It's very good! It was good! I can keep on being good, I promise!"  
  
"Now, Steven..."   
  
"What's no good? It's the dragon thing, isn't it?"  
  
"Actually, no... That's really sexy..."  
  
"Oh! Then what?"  
  
"They need you here and I have to go home! I'm all settled there, and you're all settled here!"  
  
"I'm willing to move! I've done it before."  
  
"So far away?"  
  
"All the way from Snornia! England isn't that far..."  
  
"But you'd quit your job here?"  
  
"To be with you? Yes!"  
  
"Really?" she asked skeptically.   
  
"Yes, really! I love you!" he cried, exasperated.  
  
They both fell silent, staring at each other in shock. "I love you," he said again, softly. "Of course I do."  
  
Tears were in her eyes. "I know, Steven. And... I love you. And I can't just pull you up by the roots from a place you know well, where you're loved and needed,, and drag you halfway across the world! I'm sorry."  
  
She ran up the stairs, two at a time, before he could say another word. He was impressed by her stamina, but still he shouted, "Carol! Don't I get a vote on whether my life gets uprooted?" he roared. "Only I happen to be cool with it!"  
  
He leaned heavily against the wall. "More okay with it than I am with saying goodbye..." he said into the dimness.


	47. Jan Remembers, Leo Moves Out, Placing order: 1 Automaton, Male - NinjaPastry

Michael sat with Janelle at her desk and colored Speed Racer print outs with her. Her style was much different than what she used to do before her memory was given to her. Instead of full color it was shaded and multicolored, more accurate of a drawing or coloring than what she used to do. She was so entranced, her hand moving fluidly across the paper with a sky blue colored pencil in her grip. The rubber tips of her fingers shimmered in the desk lamp since her room was in the middle of the manor and there wasn't a window to bring light in. The robots liked it that way, but now she seemed to not like it.

Her green eyes watched every move she made and her back was scrunched, the battery case creaking. Michael noticed this and cringed, putting a hand to the case and pushing it back into place, in turn pushing her gently up against the desk. She set down her pencil and glared at him, pushing her hair from her face, her young and beautiful face.

"What is your deal?" she asked, her tears still lodged in her throat from once she powered on.

"You're scrunched over and your battery case is going to fall out," Michael explained sweetly to her. "You'll shut off. I don't want to sit here and watch you power down that way."

She sighed and sat up straighter, grabbing a different color blue from the pouch Michael found in one of Rabbit's rooms. All the ends of the pencils were gnawed off or snapped off, making them all shorter or the same length as Michael's middle finger. Michael colored on his won, hers Speed and his X. He grabbed the yellow pencil and shaded in the large X upon X's head, Janelle looking over at him and watching him.

"You're so careful," she commented. "Why?"

"I don't want to go balls to the wall color, ya know," he replied. "I mean, it shouldn't be super quick. Sometimes coloring takes patience and time, and I'm willing to give it that since I now have plenty of it." She nodded and smiled at him, going back to shading in Speed's blue shirt. They started hearing "toot toot"s and looked to the doorway, Matt walking in with three little giraffes in his hands. One had purple eyes and a black body, another blue eyes and a red and blue body, and the last one with yellow eyes and a black body. It was Painter, Johnny, and Racer X, their giraffes.

"I found them hiding in the vault Jan was put in after the crash," Matt smiled. "They weer so scared looking so I brought them up here!"

Michael stood and took Painter in his hand, noticing the drops of acrylic paint dashed across her back. Michael had been painting something when he got the giraffe and splatter painted her with reds and yellows and a bit of green paint. It tooted at him, making him smile. He sat upon the bed and played with Painter while Matt sat Johnny and Racer X upon the desk. Racer X instantly ran to Janelle, tooting at her and slipping under her wrist and into her hand.

"Hey there," she smiled, taking the little one into her hands and petting him softly. "I didn't know they were in there with me," she said, looking to her older brother.

"They were there while I was walking around," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Good thing he remembers you," Michael added, pointing to Racer X. Jan laughed and put the giraffe upon her shoulder, going back to her coloring. Racer X steamed and shot a little metal bead at the Speed Racer drawing, making Jan laugh.

"He isn't real," she cooed. She tapped on the giraffe's head and made him toot. "You stupid little thing."

"Has dad said anything to you yet?" Matt asked, taking Michael's chair.

"Not a thing, and at this point, I don't want him to."

"He should have known not to yell at you," Michael said. "I mean, seeing what you looked like when you came her in the first place was hard enough, he couldn't have not known what that butt hole was doing to you."

"And yet he didn't," Matt added.

"I'll tell him later, when I feel up to it," Janelle sighed. "He wants to know, he needs to know. It was my murder. I mean, you kind of have to know that kind of stuff. Isn't that every man's dream? Know what happened to a child who was murdered? Know what happened from their point of view?"

"If you tell me," Matt started, picking Johnny up, "I'll tell dad."

"Promise you won't tell anyone else?"

"Promise," the boys said at the same time. Painted screamed and Michael lifted her into the air, making her scream again. He laughed, then put her on the bed, letting Jan talk.

She sighed, put down the pencil, then scooted back in her chair as Michael sat up and watched her.

"You all went out for ice cream," she said, shutting her eyes, "And I was coloring in my room. I remember it was a blank sheet of paper and I think it was Rabbit who gave me a white colored pencil. Funny," she said. She smiled slightly, then stopped. "Someone was walking down the hallway, three people actually, from what I could hear. 'Spine? Jon? Rabbit?' I asked, but none of them replied, and I didn't hear the heavy footsteps of Spine. Plus, by that point, Jon would have broken and laughed so loud Rabbit would yell at him."

Matt and Michael agreed, then looked to each other. "I shook my head and continued to draw, but then someone in a black suit with green hair stepped into the room. He had something behind his back and his skin was white like Leo's and David's. He walked forward, then two more walked in. They pushed me to the floor and started yelling at me."

"What did they yell?" Michael asked.

"They were wanting to know where the plans were, but I had no idea what they were talking about," she nearly cried. "They held a knife to my throat and continued to scream and yell at me, then i felt something hit my chest, a fist, and something sting in my heart. It felt like I was shot, but I looked and saw a knife handle sticking out of my rib cage."

Matt looked to the floor and put his face in his hands. "I looked at them and felt like I was floating, then watched myself die then and there. they kicked me and ran out when you and Spine ran in, screaming 'New Girl'," she said, looking to her love.

"I'm so sorry," Matt cried. "I am so sorry, January," he continued.

"Jan... January?" she asked.

"January March was what mom loved to call you when you were little until dad had had enough," he explained, "but I'm sorry for throwing you out of the car. It was to save you and then this all happened. It's all my fault!"

"Hugs, everyone, now," Michael shouted. "Everyone hug me and each other now." Jan and Matt stood up as Michael did and they all hugged each other, tightly. Jan cried into Michel and Matt let go, wiping his face and looking to the mirror to see the red smudges. Peter must have done the same trick to his metal to make it change color when he cried or got wet as he did to Jan. Her face was suddenly gold colored down her cheeks.

"I love you guys," Matt smiled. "Especially Jan."

She let go of Michael and gave her brother a loving hug before the giraffes all got in a metal bead war at each other.

=

"I'm sick," Leo explained as Hatchet, or "Dr. Penere", signed his release papers. "Where I live all of us are being slowly poisoned with Blue Matter, but it doesn't harm us. All it does is make our skin white and our hair black and blue."

"Well, you look like you have peachy skin and brown hair," Lisa said, smiling. "You look a lot better."

"I know. I'll walk in later tonight and everyone will think I'm a different young man than who they know."

"You're always a different young man every time I see you," Dr. Penere laughed.

"And you to I," he replied, elbowing her side. She laughed and glared at him. Lisa took the papers from Dr. Penere and waved them out of the wing, then pointed down the hall for their exit. Hatchet walked with Leo behind her. Leo caught a glimpse of himself int eh window of the gift shop and saw the peachy skin he hadn't seen on himself since he was eight. He saw the brown hair with gold streaks, just like his mom's, and gasped. He looked like a regular teenager with a scarred side of his face and different colored eyes.

He looked relativity normal, and it made him shudder. Hatchet walked into the gift shop, curious, and Leo followed. He saw a couple of "It's a Boy!" and "It's a Girl!" cars, banners, so on so forth, but then saw a teddy bear with a heart in its paws that said "I Love You" on it. His heart jumped and the spirits laughed.

Carolina would appreciate that, especially for saving his life like that, according to the spirits. Not only was it a kind gift, it was a meaningful gift. Being in a coma is lots of sleep and thought once the dreams and nightmares go away. She was so sweet so kind, so beautiful... Why not? She was still at fault with her feelings, but as was he. He just died and was now standing in front of the rack.

Hatchet grabbed it from before him and payed for the two things; a "Congrats on the Kid" card for the odd couple and the bear. "Allons-y," she said. He followed behind, blushing red instead of blue. He looked so strange to himself. He liked it. Maybe Carolina would look normal if she left the manor for a while longer.

As they got to the front entrance, Hatchet pulled up her non-existent hood and grabbed Leo, making him disappear into invisibility right along with her.

"How'd you do that?" he asked to the wicked woman.

"Kiss of Death, Kiss of invisibility. Touch of Death, touch of invisibility. I control what happens, not you," she entailed. "No one can see us, hear us, so on so forth."

"Cool," he said simply. They walked out, Hatchet having a firm grip upon his Walter Worker suit. "Can we go out to a store real quick? I need some new clothes."

"Won't the manor suffice?"

"I want normal clothes for once, just lazy day clothes. I might say in a hotel for a week or something, calm down from just dying."

"Not a problem. I'll let Peter know. Should I tell Carolina your room number?" Hatchet laughed, and then Leo laughed. It wasn't a nervous laugh, it was a friendly laugh.

"Yeah, sure," he said. "That's fine."

They walked and walked, Leo starting to get a fault in his knees. Hatchet noticed and grabbed onto his hand, transporting them to the nearest Target. Leo took about three minutes to get a couple shirts and a pair of jeans and sweat pants and a pair of shorts to return to Hatchet. She paid and they left, Hatchet taking him to Hilton Hotel and getting a room for him. They walked into his room and he sat on the bed, unbuttoning his uniform. He started shaking and Hatchet knelt down before him and helped, giving him a kind smile. They managed to take his shirt off before Leo unzipped his pants.

"I guess that's my cue to leave, hm?" Hatchet laughed. She touched the side of his face and smiled kindly at him, then disappeared. He sat on his bed in his boxers and curled into a ball, then finally broke down and cried.

=

"Green eyes," Spine declared, laying in his hammock. "Green eyes, silver metal, cheek vents to frame the face..."

"Is it going to be a teenager or an actual child?"

"We're thinking teen, but not so snarly. Janelle should have a cousin, and I think a teen would be best."

"Sounds good to me," UpGrade said over the Skype call she was having with her brother. Jon was screaming in the background and a loud crash was heard, UpGrade flinching. She turned around and screamed something at him while Spine shook his head and laughed.

"Sorry about that," she sighed. "He's throwing things at invisible ninjas to save me, the fair maiden of Biscuit Town."

"Sounds like fun," Spine laughed. "How about a skeleton like-look like Hatchet, or do you think a more built look like mine would work?"

"Depends. Male or female?"

"We're going to talk about that, but your input will always help."

"Banama!" Jon yelled at Spine, then ran past UpGrade and taking her hat from her head. She cringed and scrunched up her nose in disapproval. Spine only laughed and swung his leg.

"banama?... Anyways... Male," Spine smiled. "That's what I want. I want a son. She does, too, but she isn't sure. We've got other things to discuss before we decide gender."

"Like what?"

"Name, room placement, caretaker, other things, so on-"

"What do you mean 'other things'?"

"I'm not allowed to talk about it, sis," he sighed. "It's classified until further notice."

"ah," she said, "I see. All secretive with the wife now are you?"

"I have to be! Everyone kinda doesn't like her."

"I do," UpGrade declared. "Just to let you know. I think she's pretty cool, especially for catching your eye. I mean, Ma didn't like her, but I did."

"You mean you've liked her all this time?"

"Yeah, but like, not as much as you think. She was my little sister, what I've always wanted, and she still is. I mean, c'mon. I gotta like her. I only played the 'I hate you' thing because everyone else was. You did."

"Yeah, but Rabbit Hatchy and Jon actually hate her."

"I thought Rabbit didn't."

"She.. I don't know. She's confusing. And Hatchy is working on it."

"And as long as Jon doesn't know, the safer I am and the safer he is. He's still got that weight of thinking she's dead on his shoulders."

"He thought she rusted away in the closet?"

"Yeah," UpGrade said as Jon smashed her hat onto her head and ran off. She sighed and laughed. Spine smiled and she laughed some more. "I've got to go pretend I'm being taken away by ninjas now. Talk to you later, Spine," she smiled.

"See ya," he waved. QWERTY come onto the screen as UpGrade ended the call and Spine shut him off, steaming a little and then letting his hand fall from the hammock. With a look of anger, his hand wrapped around the staff of a scythe, the dark flames coming from his cheek vents after some steam puffed out. Now was the time he started to control it. Now was the time he got his first name.


	48. Rabbit loses a bet, Little Steve! - Whistler

(heavy... I think I'll keep mine simple and let you go on with some of that stuff)  
  
"Carolina! Pssst! CAROLINA!"  
  
"Rabbit, do you realize you're actually louder when you whisper?" asked Carolina from a pleasing pile of humanity. Peter was snoring softly in a recliner, having lost the war halfway through Beauty and the Beast. He had made it through The Great Mouse Detective, which was apparently his favorite, during which most of the Walter workers had accumulated like tumbleweeds. The place really was a lot like a big sleepover sometimes, she realized... although Sam and Chelsea had slept rather more over than anyone would have liked. They were squeezed together in another recliner and she had been trying very hard not to look anytime she saw movement...   
  
But movement was exactly what happened as Sam looked up and growled, "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face, Rabbit..."  
  
Rabbit scowled, only her head showing around the door frame. "It would have been worse if I'd been te-te-telling the truth, Opie."  
  
He shook his head and went back to watching furniture beating up French villagers.  
  
"What is it, Rabbit?" she asked.  
  
"I need help!" Rabbit whispered loud enough to drown out the movie.  
  
"You can come in, they're not that mad..."  
  
"No, I can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I sorta... lost a bet with Hatchy..."  
  
"Go on," she said with careful patience.  
  
"I said my clothes were fireproof, see, and he didn't believe me..."  
  
"Oh, no..."  
  
"Yeah, see, 'cause Steve having nothing to wear but his shorts and his... other shorts and some boots... and I said he should have fireproof clothes like me..."  
  
"You don't have fireproof clothes, Rabbit."  
  
"Yeah," she said, fidgeting. "I got that part already."  
  
"You're naked, aren't you?"  
  
Rabbit touched her nose, smiling nervously.  
  
"Everyone here has seen you naked, Rabbit."  
  
"But I have... y'know... bazongas now...  
  
"Yeah, they kinda look like soup ladles... not real sexy."  
  
"That ain't what the fans are saying..."  
  
"Rabbit..." she sighed, feeling lazy and sleepy. David was passed out on her shoulder and Bunny was drooling on his and she was pretty sure the sleepiness was catching. "Just put on your footie pajamas for now..."  
  
"I need a bra."  
  
"Why? Why do you even need a bra?" The conscious Walter workers had started to giggle.  
  
"A lady needs a bra!" Rabbit barked in her deepest bass.  
  
Peter snorted in his sleep. Blue sparks flickered as he shifted.  
  
"Fine, just shush!"   
  
She wriggled out of the nest of blue and white people, leaving David propped against Meg, who seemed to appreciate it. She stepped into the hall and looked Rabbit up and down.  
  
"Quit gawkin'! I ain't cheap!"  
  
"Okay, okay..." She looked like a big metal scarecrow with two metal beanies glued to her chest, but Carolina supposed she should be respectful...  
  
"Let's see if we have any around near your size... You're about a 40FF, right?"  
  
"I dunno..."  
  
Great...  
  
"Hey, Rabbit. Nice..." Steve said blandly. He looked at her and blinked. "Birthday suit. Hi Carolina."  
  
He strolled on, sighing.   
  
"Uh-oh..." Carolina said.  
  
"He saw my..." squeaked Rabbit. "Y'know... ladies!"  
  
"And he was probably deeply traumatized. Come on, Rabbit.""  
  
\----------  
  
Steve trudged on. Rabbit had been naked. Weird.  
  
He hadn't seen Carol or Emmeline since... well, anyway, it could be worse, right? At least Lil Steve wasn't razzing him about it...  
  
He stopped.  
  
Lil Steve?  
  
He turned and sprinted back to the movie room.  
  
"Has anyone seen Lil Steve?" he asked.   
  
Sam looked up. "No, I haven't seen him since... Oh, man, Steve! Doesn't he sleep in your dresser?"  
  
"Which got torched! Aw, crap!"  
  
He turned and bolted for the charred remains of his room. It was a fact that Lil Steve pissed him off. A lot. Ever since the doll had turned golem he'd been like a troublemaking little brother. But he loved the little guy, for all that. If anything had happened to him...  
  
His room was four blackened walls and husks of furniture. If Lil Steve had been in there at the time, he was gone.  
  
"Lil Steve..." he said miserably.  
  
"Yeah? Whoa! What the He!! happened in here? You and Mrs. Potts must've had a wild night after I left..."  
  
"LIL STEVE!"  
  
He scooped up the doll and tossed him in the air. "You little jerk! Where have you been?"  
  
"You just noticed I wasn't here?" asked Lil Steve as he caught him. Steve hugged the squirming golem. "Hey! Get me out of your pit stank! Put a shirt on, geez!"  
  
"Where were you?" he asked again.  
  
"After Madame de Pompadour came in and sat on you, I took off and slept in Carolina's room! It was a lot quieter and totally free from mating monkeys."  
  
"I thought..." His voice broke.  
  
"Whoa, are you crying?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You thought I was dead."  
  
"So?"  
  
Lil Steve patted his arm. "Alright, big guy. What's eatin' ya?"


	49. Rabbit finds a bra, A few more details on that order - NinjaPastry

"Are you sure you're alright?" Carolina asked. She was waiting in the doorway of Rabbit's room, her cell phone pressed to her ear. Leo was on the other end, staring at his human face in the mirror in the bathroom.   
  
"I'll be fine," he replied. "Just get here soon. I really need to talk with you."  
  
Carolina hung up and watched Rabbit pull out a bra from her drawers, strapping it on and having Carolina hook it on for her. "Now, panties," Rabbit smiled, pulling out a pair from the drawer and sleeping them on. "Sexy, huh?" Carolina nodded and shaking her head once Rabbit rummaged through her closet.  
  
"And you couldn't have done this on your own?"  
  
"Not a chance," Rabbit laughed. "Gotta have an audience,."   
  
"Riiight, well, I gotta go. No more fire-bets with Hatchworth, got it?"  
  
"Got it," Rabbit sighed. Carolina waved and left her alone, walking past Jan and Mike walking the corner and heading for the basement door. Michael had a set of keys in his hand that looked like the one's from Peter's belt and shoved a key into the lock.  
  
"We're going to be in so much trouble," Jan whispered. Mike laughed and shushed her, opening the door. Jan slipped in and Mike shut the door behind him, Carolina rolled her eyes and went up the stairs t her room, changed into human clothes, and then left the manor without a word.  
  
=  
  
Hatchet slipped into the hammock and Spine crawled in next to her (more like on her) and smiled. She smiled back, blooping her nose with her finger before tossing his fedora away.   
  
"Have fun saving a 15 year old's life today?"  
  
"The loop hole was still at hand, so he wan't in much danger just pain. Are you all patched up? Did Peter fix you?"  
  
"Steve did, but it's fine now," he said. Hatchet smiled even wider and pulled him down for a kiss right as QWERTY powered on.  
  
"SpINe," he beeped, "Lolz gross."  
  
"QWERTY<" kiss, "Shut down, " kiss, "Or something," kiss, "I'm busy," kiss.  
  
"UpGrade wantz 2 no ur planz and talk w/ u," he said. Hatchet stopped her kissing and put a hand to her cheek before Spine could lean in again.  
  
"Wait, UpGrade? About what plans?"  
  
Spine kissed her hand to mess with her and bit his lip. "I told her about Admin."  
  
"You what?" Hatchet yelled. She pushed Spine to the floor and stood over him, eyes aflare of anger. "How dare you! No one was to know about him!"  
  
"Only UpGrade knows, I swear. I told Steve we were building a kid but that's all, I promise!" He held his hands up to stop her from hurting him and she sighed, looked to QWERTY, and waved for him to get on with the Skype call. UpGrade's face showed up and Jon wasn't anywhere to be seen, nor heard. The sisters looked to each other and UpGrade gasped, Hatchet glaring at her.  
  
"Hatchet," she sighed, "I'm so glad to finally see you after all these years," UpGrade smiled.   
  
"You... you what?"  
  
"She never was mad with you or hated you," Spine explained as he sat up and pulled himself up onto the hammock. "She missed you. That's why I trusted her with Admin."  
  
"Alrighty then, big sis," Hatchet sighed, "What are your thoughts on the plans?"  
  
"I just want to see how everything is going along." UpGrade smiled at Hatchet, slowly getting a smile back from her. She sat next to Spine on the hammock and slipped her hand into his before looking back at UpGrade.  
  
"Green eyes, dark magic-"  
  
'Blue matter," Spine corrected. Hatchet looked at him and puffed darkness from her cheek vents, making Spine cringe. "Well, I mean, why not?"  
  
"He has your green eyes, he should have my dark magic."  
  
"You picked out hair colour and style, so why not I get power?"  
  
"Because I decide how my son functions as every mother should."  
  
"...you and your accent," Spine mumbled. "Dark magic, swoopy black hair,"  
  
"And of course, a singing voice like his father. A better one, but still."  
  
"I have a great voice!" Spine protested.  
  
"Eh..." the sisters whined in unison. Spine rolled his eyes and elbowed his wife, making her laugh.   
  
"A voice he can sing with," Hatchet said finally. Upgrade smiled and they all said their goodbyes, Hatchet and Spine shutting QWERTY off to enjoy some time together.


	50. A Matter Master's Adventures in Kazooland - Whistler

Steve dully burrowed through a pile of t-shirts in his new room. Matt had brought them in along with some shorts, saying none of them fit his new body. Steve figured he could make do with them until he could get more things in his size. The shirts were a little tight in the shoulders but that didn't bother him; he liked the effect.  
  
Though he didn't know who he was showing off for. Carol was leaving in the morning.  
  
"Hey, Steve?" said Peter, walking into the room. "Oh, nice. Of course Matt doesn't need those. I suppose Mike, too...  
  
"I'd look like a little kid in Mike's clothes, Pete. You need something?"  
  
"No... look... with my parents traveling the world and beyond, I sorta feel like the father of Walter Manor, y'know, seeing to the needs of the residents..."  
  
"Don't, Peter."  
  
"I'm not asking for some kind of heart-to-heart talk. I'm just... To be blunt, I thought maybe you'd like someone else to take Carol and Emmeline to the airport."  
  
He shook his head and pulled a black t-shirt over his head. "I want to do it."  
  
"Don't you think it would be kind of awkward..."  
  
"You got a bug in the vaults or something? Some kind of surveillance cameras? Or have people been listening?"  
  
"There's always a robot somewhere, listening. Not on my orders, but there is. As it happens, though, Carol mentioned it while trying to settle up for some old parts she needed. After all the crap we put her through, she tried to pay for a few pieces of metal she really needed."  
  
"Yeah. She's very responsible," Steve said, trying to sound appreciative, and sounding bitter instead.  
  
"She cares, Steve. She isn't trying to protect herself..."  
  
"I know. I still want to take her, okay? To say goodbye."  
  
"Alright," Peter sighed. "They'll need to leave here around eight. They'll be up earlier, of course, to put all that latex on Emmeline for the flight."  
  
"Oh, yeah... Does she need any help?"  
  
"Bunny's helping."  
  
"Oh..." He tried to sound nonchalant but he was afraid he just sounded needy. "What about David? Working separately for a change?"  
  
"No, he says he needs a break and wants to take a trip to Kazooland to visit Jon and Upgrade."  
  
"Seriously? They just left." Then he remembered... The Spine and Hatchet were expecting... in a manner of speaking. And the twins were in on it, as well as Jon and Upgrade...  
  
But not Peter.  
  
"I don't think it's really about missing them," Peter said confidentially. "I think he just doesn't want to say the real reason..."  
  
Had he guessed? But... no, how could he have? "What would that be?"  
  
"His sister. He's still freaked out about the demon possession. I can't blame him... if her head had spun around while spewing pea soup she could hardly have scared him more."  
  
Well, whatever... as long as Peter hadn't found out the secret. "I don't know, I think that would have been just the right touch. Well, alright, I'll be ready by eight."  
  
"Can you help me with the portal to send David to Kazooland, too? After dinner."  
  
"'Kay."  
  
Peter got up to go. "I'm sorry, Steve. Okay? I tried to convince her we could do without you but she's really adamant about this."  
  
"I know. I think it's cold feet. But that still leaves me..." He sighed. "See ya later."  
  
Peter walked out. Steve sat on the bed and stared at the wall, getting up only after he realized the room had gotten dark.  
  
\----------  
  
Matter Master David bobbed idly on his toes like a night elf, waiting. The portal was warming up so he was obliged to wait. Peter was typing in coordinates while Steve snapped the last pieces into position.  
  
"Got everything?" asked Steve.  
  
"Backpack, cell, game case, DS, couple of extra t-shirts and jeans, shorts, some energy bars..."  
  
"Sounds good. Wait, what about socks?"  
  
The engineer blithely lifted one livid white foot and displayed his sandals.  
  
"Humans!" chuckled Steve, adding hastily, "I mean Californians."  
  
"But I thought you were..."  
  
"Hey, Pete, you got everything ready?" Steve called loudly, jogging over to the control panel. David shrugged.  
  
"Just about got it. There..."  
  
There was a hum and the portal throbbed and lit a deep blue-green.  
  
"Alright... last line of coordinates." Peter peered at a thick book rather like a telephone directory and typed. There was a ping.  
  
"Coordinates received and locked on. The other portal is forming."  
  
After another ping, Peter said, "Good to go."  
  
"M'kay. See you in a week." David strolled into the glow, long since accustomed to trips to Kazooland.  
  
\----------  
  
"Shouldn't you double check before..." Steve began, shortly after David left.  
  
"Probably should. With our luck lately... Hey, David... David?"  
  
The portal was blank, its power off. "Well, it's probably okay..."  
  
"Call, see if he made it."  
  
Peter called Upgrade. "Hey, we just sent David over... yeah... no, I'm sure it's just a slight error." Steve put his hand over his eyes. "I'll check the coordinates. Right. Bye."  
  
"Peter..."  
  
"We'll find him..."  
  
Steve stared at the book. "This says Lotsasand!"  
  
"What? Aw, nuts, the page must have blown over..."  
  
"From Biscuit Town? That's a long way away..."  
  
"New Pieland."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Establishing a new portal..." It'll have to be a little further away. Hopefully he looks around and sees it."  
  
"Why don't I just go get him?"  
  
"The remote unit is offline. Needs new leads. If you go in and the gate closes again..."  
  
"I'll just stick my head through and call him."  
  
"And if it closes then?"  
  
"ARGH!" roared Steve, shuddering. "Fine! I'll do it your way!"  
  
Peter established the portal and they waited. A little sand blew into the room. After twenty minutes, Steve said, "Well?"  
  
"I don't understand..."  
  
"What do we do? If I call through it, will he hear me?"  
  
"Worth a try..."  
  
Steve did try. Nothing.  
  
"It's no good, Steve. It's becoming unstable. I have to close it."  
  
"But..."  
  
"I'll repair the remote unit and send you in an hour. Okay?"  
  
"Fine... I'll get my hiking stuff ready in case he's wandered off."  
  
"Good plan." Peter closed the portal, pulled out the remote unit and got to work.  
  
\----------  
  
David appeared in a desert. Whoops.  
  
"Wrong location, Peter," he said, turning to go back. "Better check your..."   
  
The portal was gone.  
  
"That's... not supposed to happen..."  
  
He waited a few minutes, then a few minutes more. He huddled under the shadow of a couple of scraggly tree-like things and tried to play his DS, waiting for a fresh portal to open.   
  
His DS ran out of power about an hour later. He stood up and looked around. Nothing but scrubby desert.  
  
He stored his things in his backpack and started walking in the most likely direction, hoping he didn't get kidnapped by jawas.  
  
It was lonely. You didn't get much lonely in Walter Manor, especially with a twin finishing all your sentences. He rather liked it, at first... or would have if it wasn't becoming increasingly likely that it was going to last a long time.  
  
At least he had his water bottle... a gift from Bunny that came with the usual "just like The Spine's" joke... his resemblance to the silver automaton was a running gag in the Manor. Bunny was the worst one, asking how he'd gotten his makeup so perfect or, if she was irritated, what would happen if she popped his head off... Usually asking which robot that made her was enough to shut her up. The implication was usually that she was Rabbit, and Rabbit had a tendency to seriously get on Bunny's nerves.  
  
Man, deserts had a lot of sand. Oh, there were scrubby little plants, sure... little desert animals... not many of those, hiding from the heat most likely...   
  
"That's what smart creatures do... What am I doing wandering in the desert in the heat of the day? No sunscreen... wasn't supposed to need that..." Trudge trudge trudge. "This reminds me of that Avatar where Sokka drank the cactus juice..."   
  
He reached the top of a dune and waved his arms in the air. "A giant mushroom! Maybe it's friendly!"  
  
He snorted with laughter and realized he was laughing alone. He started down the dune. "Bunny loves that episode," he sighed.  
  
There were more scrubby little plants now. He thought he saw a cluster up ahead... maybe something like an oasis.  
  
"Huh... familiar... who says I'm even in Kazooland? Maybe I'm near Vegas..." He didn't love the place but right now it would be better than parts unknown.  
  
He kept moving. His sandals were cracking and his water was gone. The trees ahead looked wavy... maybe they weren't there really. A mirage. Yeah, that would figure.   
  
He reached their shelter, relieved to find they hadn't vanished, but didn't see water. "Isn't there always water in these oases... oasises... things?" he mumbled the best he could through his very dry mouth.  
  
He sank to the ground in the shade of the trees. It didn't help much. He closed his eyes. He was doomed, of course. Like a jerk he'd walked away from the landing site... now even if Peter figured out where he'd screwed up, they still wouldn't find him.  
  
"Sorry, Bunny..." he mumbled, dribbling the last tiny trickle of water into his mouth. "I got that it wasn't really you telling me all that stuff, for what it's worth now. You're full of crap but you know when to shut up... usually..."  
  
He heard a soft rustling. There was... a rabbit? No, a jackrabbit... wait...  
  
It lolloped closer. It had dainty antlers...  
  
"Pppptt!" he snorted. It startled at his sudden messy laughter and scurried behind a tree. He lay, half in the sun, stupidly laughing at the sky.  
  
"I'm saved!" he snorted. "Rex Marksley's just over the hill giving yodeling lessons..."  
  
The jackelope... assuming he hadn't hallucinated the antlers... crept closer once more. He watched it but he just couldn't keep his eyes open... It was so hot... He felt as though he'd been drugged.  
  
"Jackelope... 'Snot really there anyway..." he mumbled. He gave up and fell asleep.  
  
But as he dozed off, he could swear he felt a soft, cool hand touch his cheek and heard a girl's voice ask quietly, "Who's Rex Marksley?"  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I realize he left at night, but it's daytime in Lotsasand... I always figure another dimension is going to be running at a different time...)


	51. Matt Worries, a whole new Leo, Under Consctruction, Family Tradition - NinjaPastry

Matt sat in the music studio, checking his watch. Jingle and Mike had been down there for a while... Better check up on them... He slowly stood from the drum set and noticed a violin at the perch of the guitar stand. With a careful hand, Matt picked up the instrument and flipped it over to look at the back. There was a note on it, taped heavily to the back. There was a corner not taped and he peeled it off that way.   
  
"They're everywhere, grabbing at me and Matt and Michael. They're scaring David and causing Spine pain." It was her handwriting, but she wasn't awake during the whole thing. "I sit here in wonder of why this is happening, why my friends are all screaming so loudly and begging for mercy. Then I saw one, one of the bad ones. He looked like someone familiar, but I can't remember who."  
  
Matt gripped the note tighter and kept reading, sitting back at the drum set, the violin tucked under his arm.   
  
"He tried to grab me from my bed, and he looked very angry. I thin I know who, now. Something tell me Dad, but no father of mine would want to hurt me, right?" Matt steamed and looked to the floor, feeling oil drip from his eyes a bit. "I have to run, save Matt from all this, wherever he is. I'll keep them away from him. If anyone reads this, I was always here, keeping watch. Just ask Leo. He knows me quite well."  
  
Matt quickly stood up and ran out, his goal to find his sister and best friend.   
  
=  
  
Carolina was transfixed by how young he seemed without blue and white skin. The scars were pink and not a deep navy, and the hair upon his head wasn't blue and black anymore. They sat by the window, Leo letting Carolina touch his face and arms in amazement.  
  
"I still don't understand how you made it out of there like this," she sighed.  
  
"Hatchet, actually. Dying and coming back like this made me seem like I wasn't ever there in the first place."  
  
"Well, why not go back? You have family there."  
  
"Family? I haven't had family since I saw my father's brains blown out the side of his head."  
  
"Well, Peter is family. He's like your dad, right?"  
  
"Not to any extent of him being a friendly house-runner."  
  
Carolina sighed and ran her hand over Leo's scars on his shoulder. He had gotten some loose-fitting tank tops and cargo shorts, as well as jeans and Lady Gaga shirts. Now he had on his jeans and a tank top.   
  
"We need you at the manor, sir," she begged. "I mean, Leo."  
  
"It's fine, but not until I feel like I can again, and who knows how long that's going to take."   
  
Feeling like she's lost, Carolina sighed and leaned against the window. "Fine," she huffed. Leo looked to the bag on his bed and stood, grabbing it and slipping the bear behind his back.  
  
"But while you're here, I have something for you."  
  
"What would that be?" she asked, sitting up again. She watched him sit close to her, at her side, and pull the bear from behind his back. Blue flushed over her face as red did his. "Oh my...."  
  
"I realized it on my way out of the hospital. I mean, you're so amazing and beautiful-"  
  
"You aren't a demon, are you?"  
  
"Not in the slightest."  
  
She nodded and looked at the bear holding the "I Love You" heart, then looked to Leo.  
  
"Oh just kiss me and no one will ever know," she said. Leo put a hand to her cheek and pulled her in, gently kissing her. She sure as Peter Walter the Third kissed back, gripping at his tank top. He pulled away and she instantly let go, feeling like an idiot for doing that.   
  
"Sorr-"  
  
"I actually kinda liked that," he laughed. "Again?"  
  
"Yes please," she smiled.  
  
=  
  
There wasn't exactly silence in the Walter Steam Automaton home. The Mayor and his lady had returned and Jon was suddenly flooded with paperwork, UpGrade deciding to help between Skype calls with the brother and wife. Her basic thought of what Admin would look like kinda looked like The Jon, the long face and curly hair. When she pitched the idea to Spine, he wasn't wearing much of anything and seemed anxious to end the call, Hatchet doing something in the background UpGrade took as not appropriate.  
  
She walked to Jon, putting a PBJ in front of him. He stuffed it into his mouth and spit it out, looking back at the papers. UpGrade groaned and sat back at her desk, picking up a pencil. "Admin Jon Walter^2" she wrote. Hatchet had said she wanted Jon to be his middle name, since she had one the pertained to a previous member of the family, Alexandria Luster, Peter the First's mother.   
  
She drew out a scythe like how Hatchet described (and showed) her, and then gave him a fashionable outfit, putting little bits of Hatchets outfit and Spine's outfit into the mix. Once she was done she had a pretty good idea of it, then looked back to Jon who was snoring, jelly dripping from him lips. He laughed and slipped the drawing into an envelope and stamped it, then wrote the Walter Manor upon the front and sent it out tot he portals.   
  
=  
  
"You have to grip tighter so it won't fall out of your hand," Hatchet instructed, placing Spine's hand around the staff of his scythe. "If it falls out on a hunt, you're dead for."  
  
"Not surprising," Spine grinned. Wifey rolled her eyes and adjusted his hand, then backed away. He rose it above the ground, looking to her.  
  
"Make a portal."  
  
Spine nodded and put his free hand out, then slashed the air with the blade. Like fabric, light poured from a slit and he pulled open the lips of the sides, then smiled at her. She laughed and nodded. "Good. Sew it up." Spine nodded and did as told, sewing it perfectly. Hatchet smiled and walked towards him, wrapping her arms round the back of his neck.  
  
"Best part about this is that neither of us will have to fear 'touch of ' or 'kiss of death'."  
  
"I think so, too," Spine smiled.   
  
((Admin's picture soon to come. I'm too lazy to upload pictures this morning))


	52. Finding David, Jackelope, Sending in the Cavalry - Whistler

"I can't understand this, Steve. He should be there! I double-checked the data. That is definitely where the portal opened."  
  
"Then he wandered off."  
  
"Dang it, David..."  
  
"Are you really surprised?"  
  
"It doesn't make me less irritated to know it's typical, Steve. Well, the good news is that the remote unit is fixed and ready to go. Here."  
  
Steve slid the strap over his arm and tightened it in place. He wriggled his backpack into position and said, "Alright. Fire it up."  
  
Peter shook his head as he typed in the coordinates. "I thought you'd learned your lesson about using that figure of speech."  
  
"I figured you were less confused than Beebop, but you're right... the data really doesn't support that assumption."  
  
"Thanks a lot. How is Beebop, anyway?"  
  
"I'm still working out that programming issue... don't want anymore fights with Qwerty. Until then, he's offline."  
  
"Good. Can't take any chances with malfunction in the one robot that's bigger than The Spine. Marshmallow still using him as a cat bed?"  
  
"Yep. As long as she doesn't use him as a litter box, that's fine with me."  
  
The portal glowed blue green, humming powerfully in the dim room. "Good to go."  
  
"Alright. I'll bring him back."  
  
"Be quick. If Bunny finds out about this, I wouldn't give much for my life expectancy."  
  
"Don't be silly. She knows he's a dork."  
  
"That just makes her more protective."  
  
"Lucky for him."  
  
"Oh, I almost forgot! Here..."  
  
Steve accepted a small box like a remote control. "Which is?"  
  
"Tracking device. I took the liberty of putting a chip into his DS."  
  
Steve snorted. "Nice."  
  
"It was that or his actual body. The DS is nearly as reliable."  
  
"What about his phone?"  
  
Peter shook his head. "Loses that all the time."  
  
"Alright. That everything?" Peter nodded. "Then I'm gone." He ran through the portal.  
  
There was a flash and he was in the desert. He turned and blinked.  
  
Pressing a button on the remote unit, he said, "Peter?"   
  
"You're safe! So far so good..."  
  
"Yeah, but is the portal supposed to close as soon as you pass through?"  
  
"It's a side effect of certain atmospheres... There's a lot of wind in Lotsasand."  
  
Steve glanced around, looking for signs of life. He punched the button again. "And?"  
  
"And... I don't actually know why, but it always does it when I open a portal to Lotsasand."  
  
"Really."  
  
"Yeah, really!"  
  
"Here's another burning question... why is it daytime here? Wasn't it, oh, about nine when I passed through?"  
  
"Dimensions, Steve. Alternate dimensions."  
  
He walked toward a couple of trees. "Right. Say no more. Seriously. I'll regret it. Final question."  
  
"What," Peter said flatly.  
  
"Why in the name of Road Warrior did you see fit to open a portal to the middle of the desert?"  
  
"The Colonel found that one. Used to be an oasis there."  
  
"Yeah," he said loudly as the wind picked up. "There's a couple of trees still hanging on but not much else."  
  
"There's still water, then. But not enough."  
  
Steve patted his generous bottle of water. "So the idiot started walking. How do I know which way?"  
  
"Turn on the tracker."  
  
"Oh, right." He pulled it from his pocket and flicked the switch. "So how does it..." he murmured, turning. A tiny light flashed red... red... orange... yellow... and finally green as he turned.  
  
"Alright, I'm following."  
  
"Good luck. I'll be here, monitoring things, until you locate him. Then trigger the red button on the remote unit and the portal will activate."  
  
"So I can get back by myself with this thing?"  
  
"Yes... but I just want to stay and make sure nothing goes wrong."  
  
"Gracias. Alright, I'm switching this thing off to save power. See you soon."  
  
\----------  
  
Chittering... a soft whining sound. Strange voices... He was someplace cool... but his skin burned and stung. Something soft and fluffy passed over his fingers. It was dark.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
His voice echoed into the empty darkness. The sounds had stopped. His heart pounded and he struggled to sit up. There was a blanket over him. He pushed it down and touched his face, hissing with pain. He didn't need light or even a mirror to know he had an award winning sunburn... if they gave awards for that.  
  
"Where am I? Hello? I know someone's there..." Or something. He'd worked in Walter Manor too long to assume...  
  
"You should lay down, man," said a soft voice.  
  
"Hippies..." he murmured, wide-eyed in the darkness.  
  
"Men need lots of rest when they wander the desert. The last one was so tired, he never woke at all."  
  
"I think maybe that's not the kind of sleep I need," he said uneasily.  
  
"Of course not. It was a joke."  
  
"I usually like to see people when they joke with me. Unless I'm blogging..."  
  
"Is that what you do?"  
  
"What, blog?"  
  
"Yes. What is that?"  
  
"It's... look, seriously, turn on the lights."  
  
The soft chittering returned.   
  
"You're not giant spiders, are you? If you are, you don't need to bother with the lights... Might as well spare myself that in my last moments..."  
  
A light appeared near him. Holding it was a girl.  
  
"Oh..." he breathed. She was dressed in fur and wore her dark hair in a long ponytail. She squinted at him in the dimness.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
  
"I should ask you that. You fell asleep right over our south door."  
  
"South door? To this place?"  
  
She nodded. "Are you Rex Marksley?"  
  
"Pssht, I wish..."  
  
"So you're not?"  
  
"This is the weirdest conversation..."  
  
"You mentioned his name. Who is he?"  
  
"Finest marksman in the west, ma'am," he said, smiling. He hissed in pain a second later.  
  
"Are you hurt?"  
  
"My face..." he groaned. "Terrible sunburn..."  
  
"Oh! We were about to help you with that. Here." She held out a little clay pot with a green salve in it. He took it and held it uncertainly.  
  
She nodded toward it coaxingly. "It will help."  
  
He sniffed it and nodded slowly. "Aloe. Thank you."   
  
He carefully began to daub it over his cheeks, wincing in pain as he moved.  
  
"Here..." She took the pot and started applying the ointment with careful fingers, gently smoothing it around his eyes and forehead before working her way down his neck. He wanted to smile but he knew it would still hurt...  
  
"Why were you wandering in the sunshine if it makes you burn?" she asked as she began on his arms.  
  
"I'm lost... I need to find... I don't even know where to begin, honestly."  
  
"You are lost, then." She crept past his legs, slid the blanket aside, and began to anoint his feet. He shivered.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked, stopping.  
  
"Oh, I'm fine! That... That feels nice."  
  
She smiled. "It helps, doesn't it... what is your name?"  
  
"David. Yours?"  
  
"You couldn't say it."  
  
"Why?" He chuckled but fought to keep from smiling. "Is it dirty?"  
  
"No. My uncle's name is Dirty. At least, that's what it means in your language."  
  
"How can you speak my language, anyway?"  
  
"Oh, I learned it from Tabytha."  
  
"Tabytha?"  
  
"The witch. She lives near here."  
  
"A witch."  
  
"Yes." She sat back on her heels. "All done."  
  
He was tempted to swear. She stared at him. She had the prettiest eyes...  
  
"Where am I? Underground?"  
  
She nodded. "You can stay as long as you need to..."  
  
He heard the chittering again in the darkness. He looked sharply and saw something scurry away. She turned her head and cried out in the same chittering voice.  
  
"They're not happy with me. They think I should have left you to die."  
  
"They do? Who?" he asked, alarmed.  
  
"My parents."  
  
Oh, that's lovely. "I can go if it's going to get you in trouble..."  
  
She chittered once more. There was an answer. "It's okay. You're not the first I've saved..."  
  
"The dead guy? Oh, wait, that was a joke..."  
  
"No, he was real."  
  
"Oh." Ew.  
  
"They were especially angry after that one. Took weeks to get the smell out." She giggled. "They say you stink, too."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You can stay, for a while. Until we find out where you belong."  
  
"I know where I belong," he sighed. "I just can't get there from here."  
  
"Maybe Tabytha can help..."  
  
"But she's a witch. Don't they eat guys or something?"  
  
"She's carnetarian."  
  
"A what? You mean a carnivore?"  
  
"Her people call it a carnetarian. Means she eats meat but not humans."  
  
"I suppose that makes her some kind of new age type, for a witch."  
  
"She moved to the desert for a reason... I don't think she had a very good life in Horroria. It isn't easy for her... she turns colors in the sun like you do... generally green. She uses our salve as well, sometimes. But usually she has the sense to keep covered."  
  
He sensed he was being scolded and took it like a big boy. He kind of liked being fussed over by a cute girl in a fur bikini...  
  
"So she won't eat me..." Man, that sounded wrong. "But how can she help?"  
  
The girl smiled. "She can get you out of my room. She has a house."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Well, you'd better come with me. We'll ask her if you can stay until we find your people."  
  
"Alright..." He struggled to his feet and promptly thumped his head on the ceiling.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry!" she cried as he groaned and clutched his head. "Even in this form, none of us are very big..."  
  
"I burned my head..." he moaned miserably.  
  
"On top? Let me see." He bent low and she looked at his scalp. She picked up the salve and began to apply it to his head. "Oh, you have very little hair on top..."  
  
"Don't rub it in."  
  
"I'm not rubbing at all..."  
  
"No, I mean... never mind."  
  
"Come along. Follow the light."  
  
She led the way through the dark cave. He followed, crouched, hoping it wasn't far.  
  
\----------  
  
Steve stood in another cluster of trees. "He should be right here!" he grumbled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"He isn't here! Your device is flashing green in every direction and there is a conspicuous lack of David."  
  
"Oh... maybe he lost his DS and wandered off?"  
  
"If his DS is here then he's under all this sand with it, Peter. He wouldn't leave that..."  
  
"Alright, alright! Don't be maudlin."  
  
"And I'm low on water."  
  
"I'll send Hatchworth with some more."  
  
"Hatchworth?" Steve was skeptical.  
  
"Rabbit can't handle sand... gets into her joints and makes her limbs fall off... and The Spine... I don't even like to knock on his door anymore... crap, I promised to soundproof the HoW..."  
  
"Stay focused, Peter."  
  
"Either way, each of them has been damaged in the past few days and I'd rather not send them. Hatchworth can pull whatever you need out how that hatch of his. He's really the best robot to send."  
  
"Fine. I'll set up a shelter until he gets here..."  
  
There was a flash and Hatchworth was there.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Popsicle?" Hatchworth reached into his hatch and pull out a large red ice pop.  
  
"Actually..." He took the popsicle gratefully and licked it. "Nice. Alright, David isn't here. What now?"  
  
"Lunch?"  
  
"Right..." Thanks a lot, Peter. "Y'know, actually, you're right. I mean, it's got to be eleven or so but, yeah. I am kinda hungry. Alright, lunch."  
  
\----------  
  
David scrabbled around in the dark. "Found it!" he cried, picking up his backpack.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was valuable," she said.  
  
"It is to me. Well, it's my stuff anyway, and I still haven't beaten... well, anyway... sorry we had to come back."  
  
"We hadn't gotten far. Come along."  
  
They set off once more through the darkness toward the home of the witch.


	53. Another oops, Building blocks of robot life, One of the few things that can scare Rabbit - NinjaPastry

Lil Steve clutched onto Hatchet's dress as she walked down the hall, her hood down and her eyes darting into every other room in search for Peter. He screamed bad words at her and climbed up her spine to grab at her hair bun. He pulled out her pin and it all fell, making her growl.  
  
'knock it off you stupid excuse for a cute doll," she seethed. Lil Steve didn't give up, however. He tugged at her hair hard and she stepped back, letting out a shriek. She reached behind herself and grabbed the doll, throwing him at the wall. He fell t the floor and lay there, Hatchet nodding and walking onward. She heard Guy's footsteps and slid into a room as he passed.  
  
"Little Steve," he said, "What are you doing on the floor without Big Steve?" He bent over and picked the limp doll up, waiting for a smart-alec remark, but nothing came from him. And Guy was one of the few workers who know of the doll's possessed like attributes.  
  
"Little Steve?" Guy asked with worry. Hatchet looked to her hands and then to the doll, realizing what she just did. Flipping her hood up she slid past Guy and ran down the hall to continue her search.  
  
"Hatchet?" Spine asked over their comms.  
  
"Yes, darling?" she replied, jumping down the stairwell and landing onto the floor below.  
  
"I got a name," he said hesitantly.  
  
"Do you remember your training?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then good luck my love," she said before the comms went to static and Spine was gone. Hatchet smiled and ducked into the office of Peter, watching him as he sat at his desk with a little box in his hand and a phone book at his side. The bookshelf was moved to the side and a black brick wall was standing there, chalk on it to make a large oval; dimension portal.  
  
She waked over to his desk, stood right before him, then put her hood down. He glanced up and then screamed like a girl, the chair tipping over and making him fall onto his back. She laughed and he sat himself up, glaring at her.  
  
"Was that- YOU!" he yelled. He jumped up and tried to grab her but she was suddenly gone, Standing beside the chalk ring and smiling at him. He grunted as he fell onto his desk, then lunged at her. She slid out of the way just in time to make him fall tot he floor.  
  
"Can't catch me, Peter," she purred. "I'm the Big Fish only The Spine managed to catch."  
  
"I killed you once and I can kill you again."  
  
"I saved your life last week and I can sure take it away," she replied, stepping on his mask with her heel. He gasped and whimpered under her, looking at the grin on her face.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked, thinking of the ways he could take her down.  
  
"The Jon's build plans," she sighed. "It's all I need for now."  
  
"Why couldn't Spine ask?"  
  
"He's on mission," she said simply. Peter grabbed her calf and pulled her tot he ground with him, punning her wrists to the floor and kneeling over her. She tried to pull her hands free of his, but was trapped.  
  
"Get your human grimy hands off of me," she hissed. He looked to the watch around her neck, looking at the inscription on the back panel, reading "Cl. Peter A. Walter to my creation: Hatchet". He looked at her struggling face as she shrieked at him.  
  
"Get off of me!" she screamed. "Someone help!" Peter got off of her and Backed into his desk. She stood quickly and grabbed her scythe from thin air, aiming it at his neck.  
  
"The plans, right," he huffed, slipping around the desk and going to the filling cabinet. He pulled out The Non's plans and handed them over, watching with wide eyes as she put her hood up and disappeared.  
  
"What did I just do..."  
  
=  
  
"Leo?" Rabbit called down the hallways. "Leo, where are you?" She walked into the darkness of his office and sighed, then walked tot he H.O.W. She knocked upon the door, then walked in to find no one there, not even the giraffes were there. Rabbit walked to the hammock and sat down waiting for someone to return.  
  
Spine appeared out of no where and landed in the middle of the room on his knees and covered in blood. His scythe dropped to the floor and he looked up at Rabbit, his green lights on low beams, but then went to high beams once he saw his big sister.  
  
"S-Spine?" she whispered. He sighed and sat up on his knees, making her scream once she saw the darkness bleed from his eyes. She stood and ran out of the H.O.W., screaming her way down the hall and past Sam and Erin. The two looked to each other, then ran after her. Spine shut the door with a look at it and slipped into the hammock, awaiting for his bride to return into his arms.


	54. The Spine falls apart (figuratively), David is sick, Steve and Hatchworth find him - Whistler

"I have them, my love..." Hatchet said triumphantly. "Oh, look at you."  
  
She sounded as though she was scolding a messy child. He looked at her with a stricken expression. She frowned and set aside the plans, pulling him into her arms, heedless of the blood.  
  
"I know, love... Don't look like that, please! I assume you were successful..."  
  
He nodded against her shoulder and clung to her.  
  
She let out a sigh of relief. "Then it's going to be alright."  
  
"Is it?"  
  
"I promise. But let's get you cleaned up. I heard your sister screaming down the hallway... I'm sure she'll get someone to follow her back just to prove to her that there's nothing to worry about, and when they arrive, they need to find that's the case."  
  
"Alright," he murmured into her shoulder, not letting go.   
  
"Spine..." She tried to push him gently away.  
  
He shook all over and clutched her cape.  
  
"You've been in how many wars?"  
  
"Too many..." he mumbled. "I downloaded that vow of peace for a reason. It's... hard."  
  
"I know. I guess... I'm just used to it." Hatchet sighed and flung a hand at the door, locking it. "Fine, if anyone knocks, I'll make a few choice noises and they'll run like blazes rather than interrupt..."  
  
"Thank you," he sighed faintly as the tears started.  
  
She held him close and wondered what she was going to do about Lil Steve... She'd heard Steve had already had his heart stomped on and the last thing she needed right now was a full-grown dragon out to see her destroyed. She had enough problems.  
  
\----------  
  
"I could get used to hanging out here, y'know? I mean, it's not so bad, what with the trees and all. The heat's no biggie to me, if I get enough water. Gotta hydrate."  
  
"Testify, bro."  
  
Steve snorted. "Well, I guess we'd better get moving. Let's try this tracker again..."  
  
He switched it on. David's signal was now due north-northwest of them.   
  
"Huh. Must've just gone on the blink. Alright, Hatchy. Let's move."  
  
\----------  
  
"So then there was the nomad. He was a strange one. He had ideas. I just turned back into a jackelope and he couldn't keep up. I led him outside and shut the door behind him. I guess he shouldn't have tried to..." She looked at him sidelong. "A lot of men get ideas, that's what Tabytha tells me."  
  
David had been hearing about Tabytha off and on between talk of the various desert wanderers rescued by his gabby new friend. He hadn't felt up to speaking much and her chatter made it easy to keep track of her even if her body blocked the tiny candle, so he was content. Besides, he liked her voice.  
  
He wasn't so sure about Tabytha. She seemed to be of the opinion that men only wanted one thing, and gabby here was getting the same idea. Of course, it had crossed his mind, he was only human, but he wasn't fast. No sir.  
  
He'd just never contemplated the allure of a fur bikini on a petite woman before... He shook his head. Bunny would roast him on a spit if she knew he'd just met a girl and was immediately undressing her with his eyes... not that there was much to remove...  
  
Dang it, David...  
  
Still, he wasn't too preoccupied with it, for all that. He didn't have the stamina to even contemplate it for long. It felt as though his entire body was on fire now that the aloe was wearing off. He was beginning to feel sick and dizzy as well... whether from hunger or exhaustion or the severity of his burns, he didn't know. He stopped to lean against the wall.  
  
"So then I... David?" She turned and the little candle lit her face.  
  
He smiled weakly. "You're really pretty..." he said stupidly, and threw up.  
  
"Oh, dear... Is that how you compliment young ladies in your culture?" she asked, giggling. "Poor thing... do you feel any better now?"  
  
He wiped carefully at his mouth. "A little... I'm sorry..."  
  
She reached for his cheek, stopping just before she touched it, and lamely patted his chest instead. "It's not as if you planned it. Come along. We're almost there. You really need to rest."  
  
She was nice, too... "Yeah... kinda dizzy..."  
  
"Oh! You are? Look, wait here, alright?" She handed him the light and was gone. He could just see the twinkling of a little cotton tail in the distance.  
  
"That's so adorable..." He slid to the floor, narrowly avoiding the puddle of sick.  
  
"Hello?" said a loud voice.  
  
David jerked awake. He must have passed out...  
  
"Oh, good, this one's alive!" said the woman brightly. "Score one for you, honey. Let's get him to his feet!"  
  
"Gently, Tabytha... he's been through a lot."  
  
He was wrestled onto the shoulders of the jackelope girl and a taller woman in a large, scratchy hat. She hastily took it off. "Don't want to scuff up that sunburn. Chatterbox here tells me it's pretty bad."  
  
"That's not her name, is it?" he asked weakly.  
  
The girl laughed.  
  
"She hasn't told you?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"She won't tell me, either. Must be pretty embarrassing..."  
  
"It's just a name. One I never really liked, in fact. It... it means 'quiet one.'"  
  
"Does that bother you?" he asked.  
  
"I like to talk! I enjoy talking! But they always shush me. It's so stupid! They want me to be quiet, find a nice mate and settle down. I want to do something besides crank out baby jackelopes and I'm not shutting up!"  
  
David chuckled as they struggled along. "We could call you Gabbie. That's the opposite."  
  
She beamed, but Tabytha muttered, "Weak, boy."  
  
"Name's David. And you, I've heard about..." he muttered, trying in his irritation to lift more of his own weight and causing them all to wobble.  
  
"Lean on us, dummy. You're sick."  
  
"Not sick..."  
  
"Then I suppose that was a pool of clear water back there?"  
  
"She makes a good point," said the girl.  
  
"Just a little heat stroke..."  
  
"Men... Some of us call that sick. Look at you, you're white as a sheet under that burn... And you say you're not sick."  
  
"Well, I don't mind if you call me Gabbie," said the jackelope, looking amused.  
  
He smiled a very small smile and hoped that she was going to be staying around. He didn't relish the idea of staying with the witch by himself.  
  
They ascended a ramp that led into the sunshine... but fortunately was also very close to a house made of something like adobe and thatch. Of course it had thatch. He was surprised it wasn't made of gingerbread.  
  
"Inside, quickly," said Tabytha as the sun hit his skin. He winced but was soon under the shelter of the roof. The eased him lengthwise onto a soft couch that was much too short. He didn't care. Gabbie hurried to get him a drink of water while Tabytha stared at him.  
  
"Can you not...?"  
  
"Boy... do you realize you're blue?"  
  
"Yeah, I realize I'm blue!" he sassed back. He closed his eyes. "D'you realize you're a cyborg?"  
  
She tapped the metal plates in her cheek with her metal hand and said, "Yeah, so I heard when they installed the implants. You need to rest. You're not well..."  
  
"I'm fine... I just... feel rotten." He coughed.  
  
Tabytha gently felt his forehead. "Can't really tell if you have a fever... with that sunburn. Odd color, but it's definitely a burn. II burn green, and I know humans burn red, so I suppose a species that burns blue isn't..."  
  
"I am human..." he murmured.  
  
"What?"  
  
He felt someone holding a drink to his lips. He carefully drank it, looking at her through barely opened eyes. She looked worried... and beautiful... He hadn't even realized... He closed his eyes again.  
  
"David?" she said quietly. "Tabytha, he's really sick..."  
  
"Yes, dear. First thing we need to do is..."  
  
David lay very still but it felt like the room was spinning around him. They were discussing what to do about him but it sounded like they were talking through deep water. He was getting that drugged feeling again. He heard them say something about family.  
  
"Bunny..." he murmured.  
  
"Hey, she's got a name," said Tabytha. "She just... won't tell us what it is."  
  
"No... Bunny's my sister... Need Bunny here..."  
  
"Oh."  
  
\----------  
  
"Jeremiah was a bullfrog! Was a good friend of mine!"  
  
"I never understood a single word he said...."  
  
"But I helped him drink his wine!"  
  
"And he always had some mighty fine wine!"  
  
"Sing it!"  
  
Steve and Hatchworth belted out the chorus as one. "Joy to the world! All the boys and girls! Joy to the fishies in the deep blue sea! Joy to you and me!"  
  
"If I were the king of the world..." Steve began.  
  
"There's a house."  
  
"That's not the line..." He looked. "Oh! I hope he's there. I've sung all the songs I know."  
  
"You only know five songs?"  
  
"I was kidding. Come on."  
  
He jogged up and rapped at the doorframe. The door was wide open.  
  
"Hey?" he called.  
  
"Ssh!" snapped a voice. A woman hurried toward them.  
  
"Whoa, a witch, sweet!" Steve cried. "Hey, name's Steve, slowpoke over there is Hatchworth."   
  
She peered around the doorframe briefly and nodded.  
  
"Yeah, so anyway, we're looking for a guy, probably very sunburned, not much hair, kinda stupid, hopefully not dead."  
  
"That is an excellent description, Steve-o," said Hatchworth, catching up. "Who is our new frie..."  
  
Hatchworth stopped and stared. Tabytha smiled.   
  
"Hatchy?" The robot didn't move. Steve shrugged. "Anyway, his name's David..."  
  
A tiny girl in a fur bikini jogged to the door. "Are you Bunny?"  
  
Steve snorted noisily. "Well, no, ma'am. I have a big chest, but it's not that big..."  
  
"He's asking for Bunny..."  
  
Steve's smile dropped. "Is he alright?"   
  
"He's sick. He wants his sister..."  
  
"Holy... alright, let's have a look at him." He hurried in after her, glancing back. "Hatchy?"  
  
Hatchworth was bowing to the witch. She put her hand to her mouth in apparent surprise.  
  
"What in the name of... Whatever." Steve tapped the remote unit. "Peter, he's here."  
  
"Is he alive?" Peter responded. He sounded like he was eating. The girl gasped.  
  
"Cool it, bro, he's made some friends and they don't appreciate your tone."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We need a little delicacy, ya dork." Steve shook his head, kneeling beside the little sofa. "David, buddy? How ya doin'?"  
  
David opened his eyes a crack. "Steve?"  
  
"Live and in person. You gave us a scare, you dumbhead. How you feeling?"  
  
"Like I just got a third degree sunburn, heatstroke, dehydration, and fell in love all in the space of a few hours," he said wearily and closed his eyes again.  
  
Steve laughed. "The He!! does that mean? David?"  
  
But David was asleep.  
  
"Yeah, Peter... Can you get a fix on this location and send Bunny? With the big first aid kit and some soup?"  
  
"She's helping Carol in the morning..."   
  
"Yeah, we need her here more. Trust me. I'll go back and help Carol."  
  
"Oh..." Peter didn't say it, but he didn't need to. If it was bad enough that he'd be willing to help the woman who had turned him down, it must be pretty bad.  
  
Steve didn't see it that way at all. If David being sick was the dark cloud, as far as he was concerned, his getting to be with Carol a little longer was the silver lining...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Yes, I know it's spelled Gabi... but this is a fictional version and they just came up with it and all...)


	55. Family chat, RAWR, and the Mime doubles return - NinjaPastry

  
Michael was just about to kiss Janelle again once they got to her room, but Matt jumped in just in time and grabbed his little sister, holding up the note.  
  
"Care to tell me why you never said anything to Leo to oh, I don't know, contact me about his whole thing?" Matt asked quietly, to not cause either of them to go into shut down. Janelle looked at the note and held her tongue, staring at her older brother.  
  
"I was going to, I swear," she whined, "I just didn't have the strength at the start. I needed time..."  
  
"Note about what?" asked Michael. Matt handed it to him and he quickly read over it, then looked to Jan. "Jingle," he sighed. She looked to the two of them and sighed, Michael taking her hand.   
  
"Now you know, so don't be mad at me."  
  
Matt nodded and Michael took Jan into their room and stated cleaning up. "If I may ask, where are you going?"  
  
"A whole bunch of the workers on the east wing, 6th floor, are cleaning it out for the two, now three, families starting and Jan wants a room with a window."  
  
"What two families?"  
  
"I don't know, but I'm sure we will soon. I get a room up there to share with her, and you get your own room there." Matt smiled at Michael's words and waved at them, heading back tot he studio to calm his nerves. He managed to pass a frantic Rabbit but ignored her, setting himself at the drum set and beating out his thoughts, finally able to relax the day away.  
  
=  
  
Hatchet ran a cloth down the length of Spine's arm a couple times while he stared at the wall, the darkness slowly bleeding from his eyes still. He winced every few seconds at the darkness, not exactly used to the absence of life etching itself permanently into hi face.  
  
"Care to explain to me what you had to do that has you all shaken up?" she asked, resting her chin on hi shoulder and stroking his spine blades, making him sigh and bite his lip slightly.  
  
"Shoot-off on 5th avenue. So many brains were splattered across the walls, daring," he pouted. She nodded and wiped up more of the blood then kissed his neck in just the right spot, making him steam.   
  
"Stop that. Just clean me off and then we have to get started on Admin."  
  
"This is what I do every time I'm successful. I come to you for a stress reliever."  
  
Spine cursed Peter under his breath and wrapped his arm around her waist, hoisting her over his lap and letting her wipe the blood from his face and neck. "See?" she coed. "Everything suddenly gets better. Now, can I take that vow out of you or what?"  
  
"Peter checks if i still have it during updates."  
  
"Screw updates. That's what I do from now on."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive. I have been getting the same updates as everybot else since I left this manor in 1999," she smiled. "I've just been looking about." Spine nodded suspiciously at her and fumbled with her dress zipper, hands shaking. She sighed and did it for him.  
  
"Relax my love," she whispered. "We will get Admin finished by tomorrow rising or if not then, tomorrow's fall. I promise you. UpGrade I think said she had something to show us, so we will need to call her after some-"  
  
"Shut up," he barked, grabbing her and heavily kissing her. She gasped and kissed him back with wide eyes, noticing the darkness and then realizing it was taking him over. This would be hard to hide from Peter, and the fans.   
  
=  
  
"Jonathan!" UpGrade squealed, running away from him through the offices of their building. Jon laughed and jumped over a few desks, then tackled his lady. They rolled onto the floor and UpGrade punched his shoulders playfully before letting him kiss her, then squirmed out form under him and ran into the elevator with an employee.   
  
The mime stared at UpGrade as the door closed and she excitedly jumped and laughed. Jon whined from the outside of the lift and smacked his forehead against the door.   
  
"Good afternoon," Upgrade smiled to the mime. It waved at her awkwardly and as the door opened, she sped out. Running down the hall she busted busts with another mime and they both feel to the floor, the mime girl gasped and fell onto her bum.  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry!" UpGrade said, helping the mime girl up. She looked at her facial features as another mime man walked over to hem and checked the girl Funny. They kinda looked like..  
  
"Matt?" she asked, the man looking at her. "Wheel?"  
  
The mimes stared at her and Upgrade grabbed them, dragging them with her into a storage closet. "How did you-"  
  
"Don't ask. We are just doppelgangers, okay? Everyone has one. We've lived the same lives up until the point Janelle was killed and I died in a car crash or whatever. I promise," Matt explained. UpGrade was more appalled that he spoke rather than they were doubles.   
  
"And don't tell anyone we can talk. We've been in enough trouble as it is."  
  
"Where are you living?" she asked, realizing the past they'd been put through.  
  
'We're living on our own. I'm her caretaker and we have a nice apartment not to o far from here. I needed work and she needed something to do everyday. We're the janitors."  
  
"You deserve better jobs than that!" UpGrade gasped. "Um... How about..."  
  
"Radio," Matt said, Janelle piping up with "Television."  
  
UpGrade nodded and opened the door to see Jon fall tot he floor. He must've had his ear pressed up against it, but she knew he didn't hear anything.   
  
"Jon!" she laughed. He giggled and jumped up, grabbing her hands and pulling her along to the elevator once more. "I have to show something to Spine," she laughed. "I have no time for your shenanigans on steamboats."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admin and what Spine looks like now - http://ninjapastryblogs.tumblr.com/post/86728339004


	56. Robot family planning, one sick Matter Master - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I thought the mimes drank the concoction to get rid of their vocal chords? Well, there's plenty of available explanations... temporary effects, possibly? And I may just have to do fan art of that Spine if I get some time... Anyway, I've got a nasty cold so I might as well update)

"Ow..."

"When are they going to get that room ready?" muttered Hatchet, checking him for dents.

"They're on it now. Any damage?"

"No. Better check my chassis, too."

"Oh, no, not that," he said with a grin, looking her over. He carefully unbent the corner of her left leg plate. She hissed in pain. "Sorry..."

"Just warn me next time..."

They lay in a heap under the hammock, where they had fallen. Hatchet lay her head on his shoulder wearily.

"Were you..." she began, "Well..."

"Oh, yes. I was. You?"

"Mm-hm..."

"Good. I need a rest. Should we call Upgrade..."

"In a few minutes." She snuggled against him comfortably.

There was a beep. Hatchet sighed.

"Alright, I suppose if they're calling us..."

"Oh, look, they're naked again!" said Upgrade brightly when he answered. Hatchet vanished hastily.

"What is it, Upgrade? Any progress?"

"Yes. We were playing tag and I won."

"I won!" Jon called merrily, cartwheeling past the monitor.

The Spine pinched the bridge of his nose. "I mean, is there any progress on our son?" He felt a little wriggle of joy inside at the words... it was an odd feeling, considering everything else he'd felt that day. And people said robots couldn't have emotions...

"He's coming along fine! Jon is very flattered at your choice of build."

Jon shoved in beside her, beaming. "You love me!"

"Everyone loves you, Jon." The Spine smiled, but Jon's smiled faded.

"Brother... um... your face needs a cleaning..."

The Spine turned away suddenly. Had they missed some blood?

"There's oil all over it..."

He turned back slowly. "Oh, of course, Jon. I've been preoccupied."

Jon's expression remained worried... even frightened. "Are you alright, Spine?"

Jon had always had a certain sense, almost psychic power... he always knew when one of them was troubled. The Spine smiled the most reassuring smile he could and said, "I just forgot to clean up, what with the excitement about Hatchet and I having a child. I'll take care of it, alright?"

Jon's face lit up. "Yeah! Maybe we'll have a baby, too! A little one! They're fun..." He ran off.

"You're supposed ta ask me first!" barked Upgrade angrily. In a twinkling, she smiled, her anger vanished. "We met some talking mimes!"

"Ssh!" he hissed. "I know the ones. Keep an eye on them but please keep quiet! They're hiding..."

"Like spies! Oh, this will be fun!" She clapped her hands.

"Right. Talk to you later." He switched off the screen, saying a silent prayer to whatever it was that owned him to protect the mimes from their enemies... AND their friends.

\----------

"Who do I kill first?"

"Bunny..."

"You? Yeah, that makes sense. It's usually you, isn't it?" she snapped, staring him in his not-actually-visible eyes.

"It was an accident! Look, he's sick, he's asked for you..."

Bunny's fury gave way to a look of worry. "He's not dying, is he?"

"No, he's just kind of out of it and he wants his sister, alright? I'm sending you through on one side of the house. Go inside, get the arm band from Steve. Then he'll be coming back through a second portal on the other side of the house."

She frowned. "Why two? We always..."

"Lotsasand. I don't really know why. It just happens in Lotsasand. Portal always closes."

"Huh, weird." She straightened her striped t-shirt and jeans, tucked the first aid kit under one arm, put on her newsboy cap and said, "Alright. Open the portal and get it right this time or so help me..."

"I haven't had a problem since the miscalculation, Bunny, come on!"

She hmphed and he shrugged. The portal hummed to life and she strode through it.

There was a little house. Bunny sighed, glad she'd brought her sketchbook.

"Totes drawing that later..." She hurried inside.

The strange, mixed company in the house was soon marked to become part of her sketchbook as well. A tall, dusty witch in summer clothes, a petite, large-eyed girl in a fur bikini, Hatchworth sitting in the kitchen in what appeared to be a state of shock, Steve Negrete (always picturesque) and David...

She gasped and put down her things, dropping to the floor beside the sofa. "Dude! You... you idiot, why did you wander away from the landing site?"

David peered at her through now swollen eyes and whispered, "Bunny... Nice hat."

She whipped off the hat and smacked him in the stomach with it. The petite girl in the bikini jerked as if it had hit her instead.

"He asked for you because he's sick!" she cried. "Why would you hit him?"

"I avoided the burned parts..." Bunny said through clenched teeth, but she felt bad all the same. "Sorry. Alright... first, Mr. Negrete?"

"Right," said Steve, getting up from a comfy chair. He was munching something that looked like jerky. He pulled off the arm band and held it out. "Might wanna... let it dry a little..."

"Just put it on the table..." she sighed. "You can take Hatchworth with you..."

"Nuh-uh. With the way that portal acts around here, it's one at a time. I don't want half of me coming through with half of Hatchy. Peter's gonna wait six hours and then open a portal for him. Besides he, uh... seems to like the lady. Funny, huh? Kinda fitting..."

"What? How?"

"Well..." He shouldered his backpack. "He always did like sandwiches..."

Bunny rolled her eyes.

"That was a pun," David mumbled.

"Hatchworth knows nothing about women, Steve..." Bunny whispered.

"Don't read too much into it. I know he has no idea what to do with a woman. He'll probably play cards with her or something. It's not always something depraved, y'know. It's just kinda cute. Your twin, on the other hand..."

"Is too sick to be thinking about it either!" she hissed quickly.

"That's what you think..." David mumbled, grinning weakly.

"Shut up, David," Bunny sighed.

"What are we talking about, now?" asked the bikini girl, frowning.

Steve chuckled. "You don't wanna know. Well, see ya."

He left. There was a flash outside the window. Bunny opened her thermos of soup.

"Here, eat this," she said.

The girl in the fur bikini gently took it and said, "I can help him. His arms are hurting."

Bunny stared at her for a moment. A little smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Well, duh, Bunny... I thought he was just making a lame joke! David, you dog...

"Yeah... that would be nice," she said, smiling. "I'll see if this kit has something for the swelling."

She sat in the chair Steve had vacated and dug through the kit, glancing up occasionally at the two. David, though puffy, was giving the girl a look that spoke volumes. Ordinarily, Bunny would have been pleased to see the idiot finally find a sweetheart. She was glad, really... but what exactly was this tiny woman, anyway? Yeah, she looked human, if a bit small, and she was as cute as a little bunny rabbit, but... her ears were pointed and... were those little nubbly horns on the top of her head or just some strange hairstyle?

The girl looked up at her and smiled awkwardly. Bunny's eyes flicked to David's face worriedly and the girl looked, too, her lips pressed together. She spooned more soup into David.

"Don't spoil him, okay?" Bunny said with a lopsided smile. "What's your name?"

"Well..."

"Gabbie..." David croaked. He started coughing.

"What the crap have you done to yourself?" Bunny said irritably. She picked up the remote unit. "How does this piece of junk work? Aha..." She pressed a button. "Peter? Hey! Peter!"

"What?" he snapped. "How's David?"

"Terrible, and if he dies, guess who follows him?"

"I work better if I'm not afraid for my life."

"He's coughing up junk, Peter! This is way beyond heatstroke! He needs to come back now!"

"Calm down, Bunny! If I open another portal in the same place right now, space-time goes plbplbpblbt..."

"Stop spewing Doctor Who nonsense and find away to get the idiot back so that Leo..."

"He hasn't come back."

"Fine, so some doctor can take care of him! He's probably got pneumonia..."

"That's not a symptom of sunburn..."

"Weakened immune system... whatever. Find a way."

"Alright... bare minimum, three hours. But even then, he has to walk through by himself."

Bunny put her hand over her face. "How do you know?"

"One person passes through, it closes. I don't know if it's mass or motion..."

"If it's motion, then two people can pass through as well as one as long as they're together."

"And if it's mass, there's no guarantee that the amount that passes through will all come from one person..."

"Gross, Peter."

"Do you want to walk through with him and find out?"

"I will..."

"What?" said Bunny and Peter together.

"Who said that?" asked Peter.

"The girl... um..."

"Gab... Gabbie..." said the girl.

"You could both die," Bunny said quietly.

Gabbie looked back calmly. "I know a little about science, too... if it's mass you're worried about, I have a little secret that might help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Yeah, I know, he can't lean on a jackelope. I can make it work...)


	57. Hanging with Leo, Hanging with jackelopes, preparing rooms - NinjaPastry

Strawberry ice cream dripped down his hand as he sat with Carolina at an ice cream shoppe on the desks within the Navy Base. She had mint chocolate chip smeared on her nose and she laughed, making him laugh. Leo reached over and fixed her shirt, making her blush blue. The lights outside the building were on, lighting the path for those walking past and the lights inside flickered every once in a while, but kept nicely. It reminded Carolina of being back in grade school with the rectangle lights and white cinderblock walls.  
  
"Hey," she squeaked, "no touching."  
  
"I was fixing it," he replied. "I should be the only leading man in this place allowed to see what I just saw, don't you think?"  
  
She laughed again and licked her ice cream, watching as soldiers marched past and a Jeep followed, a man at the top yelling at them with a megaphone that made Carolina think of Rabbit's.   
  
"Why are green suits in a blue suit arena?" she asked. Leo looked up from his messages and nodded.  
  
"Army base and Navy base get together sometimes to out-power each other. Jenson and Cripthic's way of a spitting contest."  
  
"Who was in the Jeep?"  
  
"Jenson. He's a feisty little red-head. Last time I quarreled with him I nearly got my heart ripped out with a bayonet."  
  
"Friends of yours?"  
  
"My dad's, actually, but they acted like uncles after he passed. They're really the only family I have other than Mr. Walter and the Smiths'."  
  
"Cute," Carolina cooed as a man in a blue suit walked in. He took off his cap and smiled at Leo and Leo smiled right back.  
  
"Ol' Criss Cross," the man said.   
  
"Porky!" Leo shouted. He jumped off the desk and handed Carolina his ice cream, licking it off of his hand before manly hugging the one called "Porky". "How are you, man?"  
  
"Wonderful, and you?"  
  
"Healthy and alive," he laughed. porky laughed as well and slapped Leo's back, Carolina watching awkwardly. Leo looked back at her and gasped.  
  
"Hey, this is my... friend, Carolina," Leo said, motioning to the lady. She waved and Porky elbowed him.  
  
"Ya know Criss, I never thought you'd land a lady," he joked, "But don't you think she's a bit old for you?"  
  
"Not by much, but that's not an issue for me, nor her I think."  
  
"It's a problem," she agreed. Leo rose his hands and Porky snickered, walking towards her. He held his hand out and smiled  
  
"General Pearson 'Porky' Cripthic," he said as Carolina took his hand. "Criss-Cross and I go way back."  
  
"So I've heard," she smiled back. "I work with Leo."  
  
"And where is that?" Porky asked, looking back to Leo.  
  
"Walter Manor," he replied. "She works with the robots and I fill out paper work and make sure no one blows up when the time comes to mess with that kind of stuff."  
  
"And he runs Dinner Service like a man. Everyone's afraid of him," Carolina added.  
  
"That means he's doin' his father proud," Porky smiled. Leo hung his head and grinned, then Porky smacked him again.   
  
"Wanna go yell at Jenson for a while?"  
  
"We have ice cream cones to finish," Leo replied. Porky walked over to Carolina and took the cones, then ate them whole one-by-one. She looked at him in both awe and disgust.   
  
"But you're so skinny," she said, watching him wipe his mouth.  
  
"There's a reason I'm called 'Porky', Dolly." Leo intervened and pushed Porky away from her playfully and he left the little one-room school house. Carolina and Leo were soon to follow, letting him lead them to the green suits lined up. "There's Commander Jackson Brenton Jenson. He's a real hard-head."  
  
"Tell him anything and he'll do it," Leo added. Carolina giggled and followed them as they walked up to him. The two Walter Workers looked out of place in the dusty field; Carolina with white skin and blue hair, wearing a black tee shirt and pink skinny jeans; Leo with a Lady Gaga tee-shirt on and faded out jeans with pink converse. At least Carolina was wearing sneakers.   
  
"Jenson," Porky called. "I've got someone for you." Jenson turned around, bright blue eyes and red hair stunning Carolina. Freckles were everywhere! His whole face was like a connect-the-dot page for child prodigies, making her think he printed it out onto his face for Leo to solve.   
  
"Criss Cross?"  
  
"Eighty eight," Leo smiled. They embraced and smacked each other's backs, Carolina cringing. If any man dealt with her like that, she'd break for sure.   
  
"My shift's nearly over. We're all going to dinner, my treat," he smiled.   
  
"Awesome. I'm starved," Carolina beamed.   
  
=  
"The potions didn't exactly work," Jan explained to Upgrade.   
  
"If they did, or were supposed to, they weren't strong enough," Matt added.  
  
"Strange," she sighed. "I can get Spine to help, but I don't think he'd be much help- Jon stop it!" she barked. He was busy French braiding Jan's hair and he had placed hair clips in Matt's hair to hold. Neither of them minded, but it was bothering Upgrade plenty. Jon snuck a clip off of Matt's head and stuck it into Jan's hair and UpGrade glared at him. "You can finish, but then you have to go back to work like you're supposed to."  
  
"Okeyyy," he sighed.   
  
"Anyways," UpGrade sighed, "I'll call The Spine and I can get you some help."  
  
"Thank you," Matt smiled, Jan grabbing his hand, fearful of the outcome. Upgrade turned around to her computer and called Spine's computer system, seeing him laying on the floor. Hatchet looked at her from behind the tubes of the hammock and waved.  
  
"He's sleeping," she laughed. "Passed out about two minutes ago. How can I be of service?"  
  
"Voice-elixirs. They still have them."  
  
"Hatchet!" Jon shrieked with a smile. Jan flinched and Matt jumped, UpGrade getting a mad look on her face.   
  
"Not a problem," she grinned. As she got out of the hammock, Spine awoke and screamed as he sat up, Jon watching in fear. Spine yelled in pain and grabbed his face. Hatchet knelt at his side, forgetting about the call. Her husband was more important than any call to her siblings.  
  
"Darling," she gasped as he groaned.  
  
"It burns," he cried out, falling into her.  
  
"I know, but tough it out, I know you can," she said. He screamed again, falling onto his back, and Jon bean to cry, but didn't say anything, nor move. "Please Spine, stop screaming."  
  
He didn't, a knock heard at the door. "Just a minute," Hatchet yelled, looking at UpGrade.  
  
"I'll get the elixirs. Take care of them, please," she begged, then ended the call. UpGrade looked back to Jon and gasped. He sighed, walked out of the room, then locked himself in his office. Jan and Matt looked up from the floor and UpGrade smiled sweetly at them, shaking.  
  
"She'll get them. Promise. You'll be fine."  
  
=  
  
Thinking of how his brother and sister were handling themselves without him, Hatchworth sat and watched as Gabbi nursed David back to health. He had been coughing horridly earlier, but about an hour passed before he finally fell asleep again. Bunny found insta-cold packs and put them on David where he needed them: one on his forehead, one on his chest, and one on an unmentionable place in which Gabbi questioned.  
  
"Just a caring thing to do for him," she replied and that was all.   
  
"So what species are you?" Bunny asked Gabbi. She was sitting on the floor next to David, sewing a bag. "I mean, you aren't human, are you?"  
  
"I am human," she replied. "And jakalope."  
  
"Inter-species?"  
  
"Mmmhmm," she hummed, flipping the bag inside out and continuing her sewing.   
  
"I am robot," Hatchworth said and raised his hand, making Bunny laugh.   
  
"We know," she smiled. "I am human," she said to Gabbi.  
  
"But your skin is blue."  
  
"I'm sick, and so is he, but we can't get anyone else sick." She started sketching the hut and looked at Hatchy who was staring at the wall.   
"Like a disease?"  
  
Bunny grimaced and tilted her head, then looked over to Gabbi. "Kind of. We've been poisoned, but it's not harming us any much than skin color and hair color."  
  
"What about your height?"  
  
"Hm?" Quite the strange thing to ask, Bunny thought.   
  
"Well, they are very tall considering the normal human height," Hatchworth joined in.   
  
"Oh!" Bunny exclaimed. "Yeah, we were just born like this, David and I. We're twins." Gabbi nodded and smiled, returning to her sewing.  
  
"Hatchworth," Bunny said looking to the bot. He looked at her and smiled, pushing up his glasses. "Just making sure you haven't numbed out on me." Hatchworth waved and then continued his staring giving Bunny an uneasy feeling.  
  
=  
  
Guy and Erin tossed things over at Jon and he caught them, watching as Paige and Bri boxed things up that were thrown at them.  
  
"I cannot believe this is what I get for leaving Bunny," Paige huffed.  
  
"And I for David," Bri added, taping her box shut. She uncapped a marker and wrote "Giraffe parts" on it before sliding it over to the elevator. Paige added her box, marked the same thing, and they walked back to Erin and Jon. The two kept looking at Guy and his long black hair, but said nothing. "I just hope that who ever lives over in this wing likes it. I'd love it. Anything is better than the rooms we're stuck in."  
  
"Bri, enough," Guy said with his thick French accent. "The families have no pay to make their way in the world outside so we, friendly Walters, are helping them."  
  
"Guy Manuel," Erin laughed, "You and your bullcrap words."  
  
"Enough," Jon hissed. "Peter's gonna get mad we're not workin'."  
  
"Who's living up here anyhow?" Paige asked. Bri shrugged and Jon hit his head (accidentally) on a desk. He shouted and Erin went to his side, Guy rolling his eyes.  
  
"Samuel, Chelsea, The Spine, and some lady of darkness who wears metal armor and bears a blade of anger."  
  
"So romantic," Bri laughed. Guy scoffed and continued sifting through things. "I'll tell Peter we're almost done." The other waved at her and she walked down to the second level, walking into Peter's office.  
  
"Brianna?" he asked. She nodded and walked towards him, then smiled. "What is it?"  
  
"Guy, Paige, Erin, Jon, and I are nearly done with the east wing. We should be done by morning."  
  
"No rush," he said. She sighed and walked out, leaving Peter in awe. Where in the nether did she come from? And who was Jon and Erin? Paige? Hadn't she left the manor? Peter got out his phone and called Meg, but she didn't pick up. Sam was his next bet.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Yeah, Sam?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How's Spine?"  
  
"No one answered the door. I guess Hatchet got everything under control."  
  
"Have him call me at some point or visit my office tomorrow. Is Janelle in bed?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Walter."  
  
"Thank you. Get Michael to put their batteries on deck and please get him shut off properly for stasis. I don't think he's quite grasped the idea of it yet. And I assume everyone got dinner one way or another?"  
  
"Yes, and I'm on it."  
  
"Goodnight, Sam."  
  
"Goodnight."


	58. Sending David Home - Whistler

Bunny yawned. Gabi stared.  
  
"Your mouth is enormous!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's a very impressive trait where I come from." She looked at David. "He hasn't been able to open his much..."  
  
"Oh, don't you worry. Once he gets over his sunburn, you won't be able to get him to shut it."  
  
Tabytha snickered. Bunny grinned. She liked the witch, who had been updating her on David's arrival and the hard time she'd given him. It was such fun to give David a hard time.  
  
When he wasn't giving himself a harder time...  
  
"You sew beautifully," said Hatchworth.   
  
Gabi looked up, then glanced at Tabytha, who was also sewing. "Which one?" she asked, smiling.  
  
Hatchworth blinked as if he had just seen her there. "Aren't you a cute little creature... Those horns are very becoming."  
  
"So is yours."  
  
"Mine?" Hatchworth reached up with both hands as though expecting to find he'd sprouted antlers. When all his fingers met was his stove pipe, he nodded and said, "That is like a horn. But this is its function."  
  
He balled up his fists and tensed his body. Bunny suppressed a smile. Hatchworth always looked like he was constipated when he did this...  
  
Puffs of steam popped from his pipe and his nose whistled sharply. David stirred in his sleep.  
  
"Thank you, Hatchy." Bunny said dryly, as Gabi checked on David. Why in the name of sanity did he ask for me when he had a hot girl in a bikini fawning all over him? I barely tolerate him when he's sick...  
  
Tabytha was laughing merrily. "You're full of surprises, Hatchworth. That's a funny sort of name, though. Do you like being called Hatchworth?"  
  
"Like?" he asked blankly.  
  
Bunny yawned again. She looked at her watch. Back home, it was around one in the morning. Here, the sun was beginning its descent. It felt so completely wrong...  
  
"Miss Bunny, you should rest," said Hatchworth, looking at her sharply. "It is the middle of the night back home..."  
  
"The portal opens in just a couple of hours. That's not long enough to sleep."  
  
"It's long enough for a nap." Tabytha stood and waved to her to follow. She pointed her toward a bedroom.  
  
Bunny scowled. "Why isn't David here instead of that little couch?"  
  
"To be honest, the living room gets more breezes, and he's a tall drink of water. Once we plopped him down there, I didn't dare try to shift him with only the little jackelope girl to help. You're a lot of woman... you want to try it?"  
  
Bunny yawned again. "He's asleep and he seems comfy enough... so, no. I'll pass."  
  
She staggered in and flopped onto the soft bed, going to sleep withing a couple of minutes.  
  
\---------  
  
"Bunny? Bunny? Bunny? Bunny? Bunny?"   
  
She felt something tickle her face. Bunny sat up abruptly, her hand already in a fist, arm pulled back to strike. Gabi recoiled and leaped behind the nightstand, transforming in midair.  
  
"Nice reflexes... Sorry..."  
  
Gabi scurried out and changed back. "What kind of woman are you?" she cried.  
  
"One who lives with trolls, that's what kind. You tend to expect trouble..."  
  
"But that... looked like something a man would do..."  
  
"Oh, yeah..." Bunny laughed mirthlessly. "You're not the only one with a complicated identity. I used to be a guy."  
  
"Um... how is that possible..."  
  
"Country girl. Well, I could go into the details of just how it is possible, but as it happens, I was transformed in a Blue Matter explosion. Very rare combination, freak accident. Never happened before or since. Some of the old impulses still surface sometimes..."  
  
"But that's terrible! Doesn't it bother you?"  
  
"Nope. Apparently it came packaged with the feeling of being a woman... y'know, I don't really feel like a man now. It's... complicated."  
  
"I understand," she said. "I don't really feel like a jackelope."  
  
"Then what was that?" asked Bunny, nodding toward the nightstand.  
  
"Instinct," said Gabi, pouting.   
  
Bunny laughed. "Just like me. We're like sisters."  
  
Gabi looked at her, wide-eyed, and blushed. Whoops, thought Bunny. That was stupid... Wow, she's got it bad... for David! It was more than Bunny could wrap her head around.  
  
"Why did you wake me like that?" she asked quickly.  
  
"David said that was how he does it..."  
  
Bunny snorted. "Yeah, he does. Wait, he's awake? What time is it?"  
  
"The portal you all spoke of is going to open soon."  
  
"Oh!" Bunny leaped from the bed, startling Gabi again, and bolted for the living room, Gabi close behind.  
  
David looked at her. The swelling was slightly improved but he still looked terrible. Well, worse than usual.  
  
"Come on, big guy," she said. "Let's get you on your feet."  
  
"What, why?" David croaked.  
  
"You have to go back through the portal. You need to get out of this heat."  
  
"Are you coming too?"  
  
"Not yet. The portal is acting funny. Your little friend says she'll take you back."  
  
"But... she's not from there... why can't we all go, anyway?"  
  
Bunny tugged carefully under his arm. David was not helping. Tabytha and Hatchworth hurried over to take the other side.  
  
"We're not sure whether more than one person will go through safely..."  
  
"No..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She can't go through with me! What if something happens to her?"  
  
Bunny stopped pulling and looked at him pityingly. "You, too, huh?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind. She wants to do it."  
  
"I really do. I... want to go back with you," Gabi murmured.  
  
Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her.  
  
"I hate it here. I want to travel a bit... just a little..."  
  
Bunny shrugged. "Problem solved! Come on."  
  
"One of them, yes! What about the other problem... Ow!" cried David, slapping her hand away. "I can do it!"  
  
He scooted to the edge of the sofa and painfully got to his feet. Exactly one second later they jumped as one to catch him as he fell.  
  
"Your house seems to be spinning, ma'am..." he said with a weak smile.  
  
Tabytha chuckled. "And I thought I'd gotten that fixed. Well, let's all get him to the portal. Is it there, Hatchy?"  
  
Hatchworth peeked out the window. "No, it... wait, there it goes..."  
  
"Alright, everyone together, then," said Bunny.  
  
They shuffled out of the house together, chuckling nervously as they approached. Bunny propped him against the others and tapped the remote. "Alright, Peter. You ready over there?"  
  
"Very. Send him through."  
  
They worked him up to the portal.  
  
"I can do it alone," he insisted, shrugging them all off.   
  
Gabi looked hurt. David started forward, stumbling almost immediately. She lunged for him.  
  
"No!" he barked, steadying himself.  
  
"But..."  
  
"I don't want you to get hurt..."  
  
"Oh!" She put her hand to her mouth.  
  
"If... if you want to come through later, come through the next time he opens the portal." He looked at the others. "That okay with you?"  
  
They nodded. Bunny heard Tabytha whisper, "Oh, that's just precious..." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Alright," Gabi whispered.  
  
He gave her one last watery smile and stepped forward. He was almost through... when he lurched sideways and started to fall.  
  
Everything happened in slow motion. Bunny could tell by the angle that he would land halfway through the portal. If it closed then...  
  
Gabi, who was closest, was running toward him. She didn't try to catch him, however. She leaped and threw herself at him, shoulder first, in a flying tackle. David cried out in pain as the two of them practically flew through the portal together. It vanished with a wink.  
  
They stood, stunned. "Bunny?" cried Peter over the remote.  
  
"What?" she shrieked, startled.  
  
"Two of them? Really?"  
  
"What? Both? Are they... all in one piece? Each of them I mean?"  
  
"Well, yeah... who's the girl? She looks worried about him... Ugh, he's a mess. You'll be okay, David, quit moaning..."  
  
They heard a girl's voice, faintly. "What?" Peter said. "Oh... um... Sorry..."  
  
"They're okay!" roared Bunny, leaping in the air. The three of them cheered. Bunny tried a high five with Hatchworth and cringed in pain.  
  
"Oops... come on, let's see if you have any more of those magic ice packs," Tabytha said. Bunny groaned.


	59. Couple of quick conversations - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from NinjaPastry in response to reader questions about The Spine's transformation:
> 
> What's happening to The Spine is a reaction to the disabling of the Blue matter. From what I know, their cores are like hearts, blue matter like blood. We humans don't feel anything wrong with our blood until we get hot with fever and our skin feels sweaty and our head stats to ache. Well, that's what's going on. Death is taking him over, subjecting him to his new life-style in which he cannot function with Blue matter anymore; only darkness can he work with.
> 
> Hatchet went through the same transformation, but she didn't hold back on it like how he is. He doesn't want his siblings to worry as where she didn't care since she thought none of them loved her anyhow. The darkness seeping from his eyes is kinda like how we get sick and lie down on the couch and cry for no reason without feeling like crying: it's a way of releasing bodily fluids from our heads. Again, that's what's happening, except darkness burns like fire, as I've mentioned with Hatchet's steam just being flames of light-absence.
> 
> In the way Hatchet used to be submissive and passionate, she became pessimistic and hard to compromise with, knowing her place. Spine's deal is that he's taking on a more tough-guy stance and a more outward point of view on life. Not many people would like to hug him at shows anymore at this point. For the sake of his siblings, friends, and fans, he would hide it with a smile, just like how she does, but in all honesty, all he sees are the dead he needs to take to the nether and keep there.
> 
> Sure, he still does shows, but he has to put on that fake persona we all have in our everyday lives. He puts silver makeup on the darkness to hide it and makes it look as if he wasn't powered by death, but by blue matter by painting it on.
> 
> There. I've explained that. On with the drama.

"I just love how you are still so muscular," Jan smiled before Sam walked into the room. Matt wasn't there, but an extra battery was gone from the shelf in the closet and she was in Mike's arms, facing the door. He smiled at Sam and Sam waved, giving him a look.  
  
"You have bags under your eyes," Mike said.  
  
"And you aren't in stasis. Is she plugged in?"  
  
"Nope," Jan replied. "And it hurts."  
  
'Well it's either you take your battery out and go into stasis that way or you get plugged in and manually shut off. Either way." Sam and Jan glared at each other and Mike sighed.  
  
"Please," he said into her ear. She shut her eyes and wiggled her bum against him and he steamed, then popped out her battery. Sam walked over and took it from him, setting it on the deck and watched the green light turn on to charge.  
  
"Manually or should I plug you in, too?"  
  
"I can't plug in." Sam laughed and helped him get situated and shut him off, then walked out of the room after turning off the desk lamp.  
  
"If this is what that little turd is going to grow up to be like..." Sam huffed, walking down the hall. "Matt?" he called. He kept walking and made it down to the fifty second office, seeing Matt laying on the floor, looking through some picture albums.  
  
"Matt?" he asked, walking in. Matt looked at him and sighed, then looked back at the pictures. Sam wanted to pop the battery right out of socket, but he knew that would damage him. Plus, he was looking at old pictures of the bots, some Sam's never seen before and he had worked for Walter robotics longer than Matt had.  
  
"Ya know, I like Jon back when he had really short curls," Matt said as he flipped the page. Sam watched him carefully flip the page, as if it were glass and he didn't want to break it. He pointed to a picture of The Spine, once he was finally given green photorecpetors.  
  
"Spine once said he had blue eyes, but I didn't believe him," he said. Sam looked to Matt strangely. He'd never acted like this...  
  
"And UpGrade... No one really knows her colour. I swear she changes them."  
  
"They're blue," Sam reassured. "That's what colour. Blue."  
  
Matt laughed and turned the age again, the details of his writs movement appalling for a freshly awoken robot. Sam noticed a drop of oil drip onto the page and Matt wiped it up with his fingers, then wipe it on his shirt hem.  
  
"Matt, you can tell me what's wrong."  
  
"She has to go t school," he coughed. He looked at Sam and wiped his eyes as he sat up and criss crossed his legs. "She has to get an education. She still counts as an underage child and will have to go to school. She can't be programmed-" Matt stopped to sniffle- "And she'll get made fun of and bullied and put on the news and she can't handle that kind of stuff!"  
  
"No worries, Matt," Sam sighed. "I can get the right school or tutors or teachers to get her an education, okay?"  
  
Matt nodded and Sam helped him stand,then walked him to his room and helped him into stasis. He went back to the office and picked up the album, then set it back upon it's proper shelf. He walked back to Matt's room and looked about for his own album, then took it back to the office and set it along with the others. If Matt was in there that often, he'd want his to be in there, too.  
  
=  
  
Dinner was fun, Jenson and Cripthic had gone back to base and Leo and Carolina back to Leo's hotel room. They had finished up The Notebook and a tub of popcorn before Carolina noticed what time it was. She was nearly falling asleep anyhow and fell asleep in his arms, making him smile.  
  
He fell asleep soon after, his arms wrapped around her in a strong embrace that was quite comfortable. They awoke by ten the next morning and Carolina saw her hands. They were... a very pale pink colour. She gasped and Leo woke up, jolting and grabbing her arms.  
  
"Ow," she breathed. He let go of her and sat up, looking over her skin.  
  
"Beautiful," he smiled. She blushed a pink and he smiled, putting his hands onto her sides. "Absolutely beautiful."  
  
"Let's get breakfast before anyone calls me beautiful," she joked, elbowing him. He laughed and tickled her before they got out of bed and dressed for the mortal world to view.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NinjaPastry:
> 
> ((sorry this was short. kinda sick and couldn't think of anything))


	60. Rabbit traumatized, Hatchy gets a kiss, Steve gets a very nice surprise, and Lil Steve gets... (spoiler) - Whistler

Rabbit was hiding. Guy seethed as he marched through the halls, searching. Everyone else was in bed... but he had to go searching through the deepest tunnels of Walter Manor because Rabbit was overreacting about something. He wanted to send The Spine, but he was always in the sack with his wife... a problem they never mentioned when he applied for the job. And Hatchworth was, for all intents and purposes, on another danged planet. Steve had even hinted that the stove-bot had found himself a woman, though it was universally agreed that Hatchworth would never get far with one... for one thing, old stoves didn't have... He shuddered. Well, he didn't have whatever it was The Spine inexplicably did... and they were all grateful for it.  
  
What was worse, Lil Steve remained nothing more than a limp crochet doll. While he wouldn't have minded it if that was all he had ever been, most of the workers had agreed that they'd miss the lil guy. They were taking turns watching him for signs of life... and hiding him from Steve Negrete, who was fortunately still so distracted by his own problems that he hadn't thought to ask where the doll was.  
  
He found Rabbit at last by following the sound of quiet singing. Rabbit was curled up in one of Colonel Walter's old studies, in a big old office chair, singing a very old folk song in a deep bass voice... one of her coping mechanisms. The workers called it a robotic version of returning to the womb... back to the old vest-clad vaudeville robot her Pappy had made. She had even tried to stuff her old top hat on over her ears, without success.  
  
"Rabbit?" he said quietly.  
  
"Go away," intoned a very deep, male voice... not what one would expect of a child... but Rabbit hadn't been a usual sort of child.  
  
"Come on, you can tell me about it, buddy. What has you so scared you're reverting to childhood?"  
  
"Spine... he was... it was just like the Great War..."  
  
She started to sob and turned a knob on her neck, deep voice slowly reverting to the curious nasal tone they all knew well. Guy pulled off the precariously perched top hat.  
  
"What do you mean, Rabbit?" he asked gently.  
  
"He was covered in blood, and his eyes..."  
  
"His eyes? Don't they turn red in battle mode? Were they red, Rabbit?" This would be serious. The robots weren't supposed to be able to enter battle mode, and The Spine was especially fearsome...  
  
"No..." she whispered. "They were black..."  
  
\----------  
  
Steve lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He'd expected to sleep well. He usually slept well, even when he was worried. He just had that ability to shut off his brain.  
  
But not tonight.  
  
It was agreed that he'd help Carol in the morning and he was apprehensive and nervous and excited... It felt ridiculous. He'd been so comfortable with her but now...  
  
Maybe he'd jumped the gun. Maybe he should have waited, just kept it light. He usually kept it light with women... but this time, all of a sudden, he was swooning in her arms and talking marriage! Had he lost his mind?  
  
Yeah, he had. That was one way to put it. He'd already put it the other way and she'd stomped on his heart and run out, two stairs at a time.  
  
He heard footsteps approaching. His heart pounded. Maybe...  
  
Guy walked past with Rabbit.  
  
He sighed. Two sets of steps, idiot. It was clear to anyone willing to hear it. You're losing your edge.  
  
He rolled onto his side and brooded until Peter called him to help with the makeup. He shrugged on a t-shirt and hurried to Carol's room.  
  
She had everything prepared. Emmeline sat on the bed, looking back and forth between them, but Carol didn't look up.  
  
"Thank you for helping... Steve..." she said quietly. "I need an extra pair of hands for some of this."  
  
He wanted to offer her the rest of him along with it, but he'd already done that...  
  
"You're welcome. I... I'm glad to help."  
  
But he had to say something more. "Carol?"  
  
"Hm?" she asked, very busily straightening supplies.  
  
Waved for her to move a little way off from Emmeline. She shrugged and joined him on the other side of the room, still looking down.  
  
"I just want to say... I get it."  
  
She looked at him. "What?"  
  
"I understand. If I hadn't been here when David got lost... I don't know anyone here with stamina half of a dragon, even in human form and, well... he might have died before they found him. Who knows? I still think the two of us could make it work, but... I know you mean well, okay? Even if I don't really agree... Well, that's all."  
  
"Thank you..."  
  
He wanted to... he wanted a lot of things, really. But he supposed if he gave way, it would just make it harder to let her go. He didn't want to do that. This was hard enough.  
  
She stood looking up at him, fidgeting. With a sigh, she said, "I guess we should get started."  
  
"On more thing... if it weren't for the distance, y'know, if I lived like, three hours away..."  
  
"What would I have said then?"  
  
He nodded. "I'm not going to just run off to England on my own, okay? I just really need to know... I... I meant what I said. I love you."  
  
She smiled and wiped her eyes. "And I love you... but if it won't change anything, my answer doesn't matter, then, does it?"  
  
"Carol..."  
  
She handed him a tube of latex. He sighed irritably as they got to work.  
  
\----------  
  
"Well... then...." Peter said. "You're a..."  
  
"Jackelope."  
  
"Right. We're not really hiring..."  
  
"Peter!" snapped David as sharply as he could manage, shivering under his blanket. Gabi shushed him gently.  
  
"You're seeing a doctor in the morning." Peter shook his head. "I'd yell at you for leaving the..."  
  
"I know, I wandered off. We've been all through that." He coughed fitfully.  
  
"Do you have some warmer clothes, possibly?" asked Gabi. "I'm not used to this climate..."  
  
"You can share my blanket..." David said pleasantly.  
  
"You need to save your strength," Peter said. "I'm sure Carolina or Chelsea will have something. In fact... in a few months, Chelsea may find she needs new clothes anyway..."  
  
"What?" asked David.  
  
"Never mind. But she stays out of your blankets, got it?" Under his breath, as he got up to leave, he added, "All we need is another one getting knocked up... I could have sworn excess Blue Matter caused infertility... must write a monograph about this..."  
  
He hurried back to the lab and punched in the code. The portal lit and a tall, shapely figure walked through in a cloud of dust.  
  
"Hey, Pigpen," chuckled Peter.  
  
"No. Just no. I'm not in the mood." She sighed. "I left the remote unit with Hatchworth, just in case."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Is that a problem?"  
  
"Well, Steve is taking Carol to the airport in a few hours and it'll be cutting it close..."  
  
"What will?" She set down the first aid kit. "Oh... you're going to... oh, that's sweet, Peter. I didn't know you had it in you."  
  
"Thank you. But is it true? That Hatchworth is actually mooning over that sand witch?"  
  
Bunny snickered. "Yeah, how perfect is that?"  
  
"But... does she like him?"  
  
"I dunno. She's friendly but doesn't give away much. She certainly spent a lot of time talking to him... but since I was asleep for part of it and drawing for the rest, she really didn't have anyone else to talk to. Probably gets lonely in the desert."  
  
"But then... they're alone together..."  
  
Bunny snorted and said, "You're seriously worried?"  
  
"No, you're right... it's not like he has a..."  
  
"Thank you, I've done repairs on him, too. I know. Anyway, last I saw, he was making a pyramid of sandwiches for her." She yawned. "I need to go get some real sleep. You should do the same. Get Sam to take over or something."  
  
"No, I've made it this far."  
  
"I hope you're recycling."  
  
"What?" Peter asked.  
  
"All those Monster drink cans. See ya."  
  
\----------  
  
Three hours later, Peter was startled awake by the sound of Hatchworth's voice over his comm. "Have you forgotten me, Peter A Walter VI?"  
  
"What?" He sat up, swabbing drool from the edge of his mask. "Oh, no, sorry. But you can use the remote unit..."  
  
"I like the personal touch."  
  
Peter sat and stared for a moment. "You're not thinking of leaving it with your friend, are you?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"What? No!" There was the sound of mumbling. He heard a scratching sound as if the remote was sliding over something. "I have it on my arm."  
  
"Right. Because I need it back."  
  
"Alright..." He sounded sullen.  
  
Well, that was his answer right there. He heard Hatchworth say, "I hope you will remember me..."  
  
Peter began typing in coordinates as quickly as he dared. Hatchworth was going to say whatever he had to say with that remote switched on, apparently...  
  
"You?" answered a woman's voice, low and full of good humor. "How could I forget you?"  
  
"I have to go now..."  
  
"I know, silly."  
  
"Will you... miss me?"  
  
"I really will. Honest."  
  
It didn't sound like she'd miss him much. But he'd met witches before. For a witch, she was practically making love to him. They weren't warm people as a rule...  
  
The portal opened. He heard Hatchworth make a startled noise.  
  
Poor guy...  
  
"Alright... Good-bye..." Hatchworth said sadly.  
  
"Wait a moment..."  
  
"Oh, boy..." murmured Peter. There was silence. He waited as patiently as he could. Hatchworth passed through the portal at last, his fingers touching his mustache. He looked thoughtful.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"She kissed me."  
  
"Do you want to press charges?" Peter asked with a laugh.  
  
"No, that would be mean."  
  
"Right. Bad idea, then."  
  
"Kisses are... nice."  
  
"Yeah, they are. Can I have the armband?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Peter walked over and slid it off of Hatchworth. "Report to maintenance, okay? Rabbit's not the only one who can have trouble with sand in her joints."  
  
Hatchworth wandered out without a word, his fingers still pressed to his lips. Peter yawned. One last thing to do and then he was going to sleep for the next twenty-four hours if he could manage it.  
  
He caught Steve just as he was hauling out the luggage.  
  
"Steve! Wait..."  
  
"What? I gotta get them to the airport..."  
  
"Here."  
  
Carol joined them. "Oh, that was a lovely hug from Michael... What is that?"  
  
Steve put the cases into the car and took the remote unit. "You need me to go somewhere else? I need some sleep, man."  
  
"No, I'm giving it to you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I figured it would make a nice... well... wedding present."  
  
"Dang it, Peter!" hissed Steve angrily. "Are you trying to make this harder?"  
  
"Think about it, dummy..."  
  
Steve glared... then his glare slowly brightened into a look of surprise.  
  
"What?" asked Carol, still frowning. "What is that, anyway?"  
  
"It's a transporter," Steve said, smiling.  
  
"A what? Are you having me on?"  
  
"I don't know... but I like the sound of it..."  
  
"Are you joking with me?" she said very slowly. "That thing can transport matter?"  
  
"Yes! As in one whole Steve Negrete delivered to and from Walter Manor as needed... with a six hour cooling period, anyway."  
  
"But... wedding present?"  
  
Steve rolled his eyes. "Scientists..."  
  
"Hey!" snapped Peter. "I can take it back..."  
  
To his dismay, Steve swept him up in a crushing hug.  
  
He dropped him and said, "No, thank you, I'll be keeping it." He turned back to Carol. "I asked you earlier and I'm asking again. It does matter now. Would you marry me if I could move to and from Walter Manor as needed... say, for a work day, and come home to you at night? Would you be able to live with that?"  
  
Her mouth formed an O of understanding. "That was what... oh, for goodness' sake, why didn't someone tell me... well, yes... yes, that fixes everything, doesn't it?"  
  
Steve laughed, swept her up and kissed her. "You, uh... don't think the dragon thing is a problem, then?"  
  
She laughed. "I think it's a bonus. I'm never warm enough back home... Oh, but you haven't met my boys yet..."  
  
"Boys?"  
  
"Uh, you two need to get going..." Peter said quickly. He was glad to help but this was getting too domestic for his taste.  
  
"Yehr, Mum," said Emmeline, leaning out of the car window. "Let's go. You can tell him all about the dummies on the way to the airport."  
  
"I wish you could come with us..." said Carol as he opened the car door for her.  
  
"I'll be there soon, though!"  
  
"I know, love..."  
  
"Hey!" Steve snapped, looking at Emmeline. "Tug up your shirt! You have something to cover now!"  
  
Emmeline sighed and slid back inside the car. "Yes, Dad..." she said in weary tones. But she was smiling.  
  
"Dang right. You want some pedo looking at you like Lolita?"  
  
"I can kill him with one finger."  
  
"Oh... hey, can you teach me how to do that?"  
  
"Steve..." said Peter.  
  
Steve jogged around to the driver's side, waved, slipped into the car, and drove away.  
  
"Wait until he finds out about Lil Steve..." said Sam, walking up beside him.  
  
"What about Lil Steve?"  
  
\----------  
  
"Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?"  
  
Peter looked gloomily down at the limp doll now being cradled by Rabbit. She seemed to need something to cradle... she was still humming and rocking herself.  
  
"Where to even begin?"  
  
"I'll let Rabbit tell you hers later... in private," murmured Guy, glancing around at the other workers. "It's a lot more troubling..."  
  
"Than this?" Peter cried. "He's... well, he's basically dead, isn't he?"  
  
"That's depends on your definition of..." Sam began.  
  
"Not now... Dang it! Steve is on cloud nine right now. Publishing the banns! Picking out china patterns! He doesn't need this!"  
  
Rabbit fussily adjusted Lil Steve's bandana and sighed. He really needed to find out what that was all about...  
  
"So... no one has any idea why he suddenly reverted to being a doll?"  
  
"Peter, in all fairness, we still hadn't worked out how he had stopped being a doll in the first place..."  
  
"Touché..."  
  
"Dead..." Rabbit murmured. "Had his l-l-l-life sucked right outta him..."  
  
"Oh, no... not her..."  
  
Peter scooped up the doll and headed for the HoW. He heard Rabbit yell in protest but didn't stop. When he arrived, he banged on the door. He didn't care if they were... well... trysting... He wasn't having it. He was just about ready to toss the pair of them out!  
  
Hatchet opened the door lazily. "'Ello, Peter," she said pleasantly.  
  
"Oh, fulfilled your daily quota, or were you gonna kill another innocent bystander?"  
  
"I'm done for the day, yes. You get better at it over time..."  
  
"Where's The Spine?"  
  
"He's... still busy..."  
  
"He's naked or something, right?" he said wearily.  
  
She hastily creaked the door shut just a bit more. "Yes. That's exactly right. We've been at it hammer-and-tongs..."  
  
"No, thank you. I don't need the visual. I want an explanation for this." He held up Lil Steve.  
  
Her eyes widened. "Look, mate, I'm sorry about that, but the little sod seemed to think I was a threat..."  
  
"Uh-huh. Wonder why he'd think that?"  
  
"I was just trying to brush him off but... well..." She wiggled her dark fingers sheepishly.  
  
Peter scowled, though she couldn't see it. It was as if the Big Bad Wolf was saying Lil Red Riding Hood had accidentally fallen into his mouth.  
  
"You're frowning, aren't you? You should really get a digital panel on that mask, like Daft Punk..."  
  
"Put him back!" snapped Peter.  
  
"I can't," she said quietly.  
  
"No, put him back!"  
  
"It's beyond my power, you idiot!"  
  
"But..." She was telling the truth... it made sense. He sighed. "Steve's gonna... he's... He loves this little guy..."  
  
"I really am sorry. But the only one who could do it is..."  
  
There was a flash of darkness. Peter hadn't even known darkness could flash. The hallway was now filled with the presence of a tall, imposing figure. He wasn't really... He was just a man... and yet Peter could feel that he was as large as the manor itself... larger... bigger than the world, more imperishable than time itself, and he, Peter, was small, insignificant, a fool to think he could ever escape the inexorable approach of the man before him...  
  
Peter shook his head irritably. "Stop that!" he snapped.  
  
The man shrugged and the darkness diminished. "I like to make an entrance. I heard something about a doll... I have come to restore him personally."  
  
Hatchet gasped. "You would give him back? But why..."  
  
"I enjoy his videos. He should continue making them," he said shortly. Grimm touched Lil Steve with one finger and the doll reanimated, leaped up and began shadow-boxing.  
  
"So then I was all, 'Awww yeah,' and she was like..." He stopped and looked up. "Hey, Peter."  
  
Grimm scowled down at the doll and vanished.  
  
"Lil Steve!" cried a scattered chorus of voices. A mass of blue and white descended upon Peter.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"I don't understand!" cried Hatchet over the noise. "That's the stupidest reason ever..."  
  
"Lil Steve's videos are very popular..." Peter said.  
  
"Dang rights!" said Lil Steve.  
  
"But to restore him to life for that..."  
  
"Is that why he did it?" Lil Steve asked as each worker hugged him. "Aw, that's the nicest thing... Y'know, I'm gonna miss that guy."  
  
"Seriously?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah! He's the coolest. I saw him and I was like, 'Forget Steve, this is the new king of awesome,' and so I followed him everywhere after that, told him all my stories, showed him my great yarn fu, asked if I could be his sidekick... y'know, just being friendly! And he said the human world would be diminished without me and that it wasn't my time to move on. And he picked me up and started walking and I was telling him about this barroom brawl I was once almost in and... I woke up here."  
  
Hatchet stared. "Right. Now it makes sense. Don't attack me anymore, alright? It's more than my life is worth now to inflict... to send you back to Grimm."  
  
"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. Got a little anxious, wanted a donnybrook."  
  
"Right." She slowly closed the door. Peter heard it lock.  
  
"Alright... Lil Steve is back! Bring on the hugs! Ladies first!"  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (That's right... Lil Steve was so obnoxious that even He!! threw him out. (I adore Lil Steve, by the way))


	61. Sibling Strife and plenty of it - NinjaPastry

Michael waved out the window to the Negretes' and then looked back at Janelle, watching her steadily walk around the room, practicing her awkward duck stance where her feet would pinpoint inward instead of straight out or like Rabbit's, where they would go outward like a goose.  
  
He had been teaching her how to stand the right way, but her old Janelle-ness was kicking in and making the duck stand a reoccurring thing. Matt had even tried to tell this to Michael, the fact she had done that all hr life, but Michael insisted on it since it was now official: an education in a public school.  
  
The e-mail was sent and a letter would soon come to Peter, the guardian, and it would read something along the lines of:  
  
Dear Mr. Walter, Your child, Janelle Maryanne Smith-Walter, has now been accepted to summer courses at Wolf Banner High School.  
  
It was all nerve racking. Janelle hadn't been back at school in nearly two and a half years and now instead of long black hair and porcelain skin, she had curly pink and black hair with pink and silver metal for skin. Her body was more curvy and plump than the last, and she was going right back to the old district and school system she had retired from at death.  
  
Nobody really asked much about where she went. Some said she ended up in a foster home in Florida, some said she was in Juvi for killing her parents, and some even said she had killed herself and Matt never told anyone, nor did the parents.  
  
"Jan," Mike sighed, "Toes up and out when you walk."  
  
"I know how to walk, stupid!" she yelled at him. He rolled his eyes and leaned against the windowsill, studying how hard she was trying, but not succeeding. "Why can't I walk the way I'm used to walking?"  
  
"Because you're going to be made fun of." Jan turned and glared at him, a slight twitch in her eye. He sighed. "More, I mean."  
  
"I'm a pink robot with lights for eyes, an engine for a heart, a massive battery in my back, and I'm a giant. You think I wouldn't get made fun of more? The way I see it, there's no way around it. I'm a walking, talking nightmare on wheels. Most literally," she said. To show him, she snapped her fingers and she suddenly was taller, wheels on the bottoms of her feet.  
  
"I seriously cannot wear shoes. I tear them when I walk."  
  
Michael groaned and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her. She squealed and pushed him away, angry. No, more than that, unforgiving, maybe even vengeful. "I can't go to school, Michael. I'll be crushed in a car compactor and laughed at when I bleed oil and gasoline."  
  
"With that attitude you will," he sneered. "Go tell Matt you're ready to go shopping. I'll be thinking about which compactor to have them use." She stared at him in awe and tugged hard on a matter tube, making him shout in pain. She walked out after, staying a little to watch the pain on his face when he looked at her.  
  
She rolled down the hall angrily and passed her brother without a word, smashing into his shoulder with hers. He had to balance himself. He walked on as she did, not watching where she was headed to. The stairwell. She's not ever allowed there, nor anywhere near, especially with wheels.  
  
She stopped right before the railing and looked around, no one around. Good. She retracted the wheels and stepped down onto the first step from the fourth floor, then kept going, walking down the steps with ease and precision. Peter, free of the little beast known as Lil Steve, walked over to the stairwell on the bottom floor and watched as his creation stepped onto the floor and fell to her knees, letting the tears fall.  
  
He ran to her side, both appalled and afraid that she just did that from the unknown height he had stumbled upon. She put her hands to her face and screamed, shaking heavily.  
  
"What's wrong, darling?" he asked, placing his hands upon her shoulders and kneeling at her side.  
  
"Michael doesn't love me," she wailed. To her that's what it seemed like. It was just a fight, but they hadn't fought in a year, so it was all so new. "He said I should be crushed in a car compactor!"  
  
"No," Peter gasped. "No he'd never say that to you!"  
  
"He did," she yelled, looking at him. Gold streaks ran down her face, making his heart leap. "He did say it I was there and it's in my recordings!"  
  
"I can check them later," he said sweetly to her, "But I have things to do." She nodded and he helped stand her up, brushing off her knees and wiping her face for her, being a good father that way. He kissed (put the bottom of his mask to) her cheek and rubbed her back before walking away from her. She looked up the stairwell to see Matt in a panic, nearly going over the railing in fear of her body lying on the floor from falling.  
  
"Elton John, Janelle!" he yelled. "You scared the daylights outta me!" He ran down the stairs and attacked her in a hug, waiting for her to return the hug. She hesitantly did, then rested her head upon his shoulder.  
  
"Let's just go shopping for school supplies," she hummed. "I want to get this all over with."  
  
"I can't," Matt said. "There's no extra cars and We both, and we know it, have a severe fear of moving vehicles now. You because of... and Mine because..."  
  
"Yeah," she sighed. "We know."  
  
=  
  
David shivered and looked to Gabi, then smiled. She smiled right back, wrapped in a robe Pruitt had found for her. She played with her robe ties and then slapped him in the chest with one lightly, making him smile wider.  
  
"So, you live here?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah," he replied, obviously trying to hold in the coughs trying to flee from his chest. "I work here, too."  
  
"Interesting," she said, looking about the room he lived in. It was a shared room with Bunny, an extra bed in the corner for Bun and her lady who acme around every so often, Brass. Their room was one of the larger ones, located in the corner of a hall and on the outer walls of the manor. There were two big windows, a bunk bed for the two (Bun always has top bunk), three desks, a computer system, and a small library for references for papers and reports.  
  
David was laying on his bunk and had a chair pulled up from the desk and to the side of the bed. She was watching him shiver and shake, then held a bucket out for him once he sat up and reached for it. Seconds... one.... two... thr- Gabi shut her eyes and covered her ears as David let it loose into the bucket, wiping his mouth with a cloth tied to the handle and setting it down onto the floor.  
  
"That's disgusting," she winced. David nodded in agreement and lied back down, letting out a sigh and a couple of coughs.  
  
"I think Peter gave me whatever he had before..."  
  
"What did he have?"  
  
"A really bad... bad uh, stomach flu."  
  
"But this is simply heat exhaustion."  
  
"Blue matter plus heat plus dryness equals unknown possibilities in the human body," David replied smartly. Gabi laughed awkwardly and waited patiently for him to say something, but he fell asleep. Adventure, she instantly thought. She stood and walked out quietly, finding her way to the kitchen and looking about in the strange two-doored silver light and cold box filled with edible treats and goodies, like cheese and lettuce.  
  
She grabbed a bowl from a cabinet and grabbed some cheese and lettuce, a couple baby carrots and spooned out a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt into the bowl, then shut the magic box and headed back to the room where David still rested. It was delicious, and she decided to save some for David when he woke up, hoping he would like the kind offer of treats.  
  
=  
  
Hatchet finished packing up Spine's closet and opened the door, then shut it and locked it. She put her hod up after she kindly waved to a worker and the worker's giraffe. They passed her and she walked on, Hatchworth getting an eerie feeling as he walked past her. It was like someone blew air on his neck, that kind of feeling. He followed the strange feeling all the way to the empty spaces upstairs and east wing, then saw Sam and Chelsea moving things into a couple of rooms.  
  
Hatchet put her hood down and Sam waved at her, then she waled into a large room and set the box down, unpacking it.  
  
"Sam," Hatchworth said, "What is going on up here?"  
  
"We are moving our things up here to live here."  
  
"Would you like help?"  
  
"Actually," the mustachioed counterpart started. he walked over a box and kicked a bag out of the way, then opened the doors at the end of the hall. "You can put all the boxes that are in Matt and Janelle's rooms up in here. Silver door is Janelle's, gold doorknob is Matt's. Michael's stuff goes in Janelle's, also. Okay?"  
  
"Got it!" Hatchworth beamed. He saw his 'sister' and cringed, letting steam puff from his pipe to try and intimate her. She only laughed and walked past him to grab a couple of extra hangers from Sam's pile and walked back into the room.  
  
"You wicked thing," Hatchorth mumbled as he turned around and headed back for the staircase. She gasped and walked out of her room, then grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"Listen here, bub," she started, "I may not be the perfect little sister you wanted, nor am I the greatest friend you will ever have, but no rights were given to you to treat me that way. I haven't done a thing to you so stop acting like I have!"  
  
"But you have," he scowled, smacking her hand from him. "You tore a hole in Spine's life and filed it with lies! We all know you wanted to kill Pappy the way you did!"  
  
"Naturally? Let him live out his life with you all while I rusted away in a closet?"  
  
"Yeah!" he yelled in her face. "You deserved to rust in there! Go back and rust!"  
  
"Shut up, boiler brains!"  
  
"Not before you do, you poor excise for a woman!"  
  
"Shortstop!"  
  
"Thin mints!"  
  
"Your sandwiches are horrid!"  
  
"I hate you!" he yelled, pushing her hand to the floor. She fell onto her bottom as Spine walked up the stair s and around the corner to see the example of Hatchworth's anger. He slowly, calmly, set his box down and grabbed Hatchworth by the back of his shirt, lifting him into the air and holding him there. He turned him so that the bot could see his captor and Hatchworth screamed.  
  
"Don't touch my wife," Spine said to him, bringing his face close. His eyes bled to black, the green washing away like marker on skin and Hatchworth screamed again. "Touch her ever again and you'll learn the hard way how to treat your siblings."  
  
Spine dropped the bot and he ran off, screaming and crying. Spine helped Hatchet up and hugged her tightly, feeling disgusting.  
  
"I just made my siblings cry, nearly all of them."  
  
"No worries, love," hatchet sighed. "Been there done that."  
  



	62. Sam sees something startling, Hatchet's regret, Bunny talks to Gabi - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno if I've stated it before, but this was written a while back, and while they are essentially original characters, they're thinly based on real people so we have Gabi liking David where the real ones aren't even dating anymore. But Gabi the Jackelope bears very little resemblance to the real thing outside of being a cute artist, so there you go.

Sam wandered past The Spine carrying a bag of shoes and socks. "Hey," he said casually, glancing at him.  
  
He froze a few steps later. "Spine..."  
  
"What?" The Spine sounded... tense. Sam turned slowly to look at him.  
  
Same old Spine... silver face, green eyes. He looked a bit worried...  
  
"Oh... glasses are dirty, I guess. Something bothering you?"  
  
"Yes... I, uh, had an argument with Hatchworth. He's run off."  
  
"Oh, nuts... I hope no one was in the vaults because if they were, they're gonna get a shock! Alright, I'll go check on him in a few minutes. And... y'know..."  
  
"Right," The Spine said, looking down at his hands. "I'll apologize. When he's cooled off."  
  
Sam frowned, uncertain whether to believe him. When Spine felt guilty, he usually took care of it right away... "Alright. Sounds good..."  
  
He hurried to his new quarters, humming nervously. Not only was The Spine acting weird, and Rabbit still in a state of shock, but he had realized in the process of relocating his things that while he was going to be a father, he actually had no memory of having done the deed. And now he was going to be sharing a bed with the mother of his child...  
  
Tonight was... actually going to be very, very scary.  
  
"I wonder if anyone wants to go camping..." he mumbled.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchet waved her hand and The Spine's eyes turned black. The darkness spread in curls and tendrils across his face. She felt a little wriggle of horrified joy. She had never found him so attractive...  
  
She hugged him but he didn't respond with much enthusiasm. "It'll be alright. You'll apologize and..."  
  
"I'll try, but... Hatchet, I'm not sorry, not a bit. I was ready to toss him out the window. At least my conscience protocols are still in place, but it's more of a guideline... I just don't feel it." He looked at his dusky fingers. "Who am I now?"  
  
"I could give you all sorts of answers and lie to you, but part of the experience is finding that out for yourself, my love." He nodded soberly. "If I might change the subject to one close to my heart... are these humble cells soundproofed, by any chance?"  
  
"Humble cells? They're more like condominiums... Oh... sorry, humor chip's been kind of laggy lately..."  
  
"'Salright, wasn't really even a very successful piece of irony. But are they?"  
  
"Yes, that's why they're reserved for family use. Can't hear the screaming kids, or the parents, um... becoming parents. Actually, I heard Sam asking Peter about it when he found out we'd be moving in... said he'd just as soon go live in the vault otherwise."  
  
"That reminds me... Why did he say he hoped no one was in the vaults?"  
  
"Hatchworth runs back there when he's upset."  
  
"But... surely that's the last place he'd want to be..."  
  
"No, he finds it comforting." He started taking out his things and putting them away. "He spent so long there that it's his panic room now. He's even got some things stashed in his particular vault. Big pile of plush microbes, a tank of water, some blankies..."  
  
She was dismayed to find a stabbing of emotion strike her at that. It was just a little one; a sliver piercing a hide thicker than an elephant's, and was all the more irritating for it. She sat heavily in a large, thick armchair.  
  
"Looks like they anticipated our needs in the way of furniture," he commented, turning to look at her. "That's one of the few that can actually support me... What's wrong?"  
  
"You have to ask?"  
  
"Well, I realize I was just brooding myself, but you usually don't..."  
  
"He was in the vault how long?"  
  
"Eighty years, give or take."  
  
"Eighty years. And he doesn't hate Colonel Walter?"  
  
"Not that I've ever noticed, no. He understood... he put him in there to protect both the family and Hatchworth himself."  
  
"Did he ever open the vault?"  
  
"He couldn't, Hatchet. Six had to wear a hazmat suit and get us to help when he went to see if his theories were correct about the leak." He waited a moment and added, "It wasn't the same as your situation, of course..."  
  
"No. It was... Well, in a lot of ways. No wonder he hates me. Sometimes... sometimes I... never mind. Ugh. I'm going soft."  
  
He lifted her and sat in the chair, settling her on his lap. She leaned back against him and sighed.  
  
"I thought the work made you jaded," he murmured, wrapping both arms around her.  
  
"It does. I don't understand it."  
  
"I guess it doesn't destroy all feeling, though... that's hopeful."  
  
"Is it?" she asked quietly.  
  
"I don't want to lose all feeling. My most cherished desire for years has been to be more human. Humans feel. I don't want to stop feeling after gaining so much. I certainly don't want to be without feeling if I'm harvesting the souls of human beings... even if it hurts me, I want to understand what I'm doing, not be some soulless killing machine. Hatchet, that's been one of my greatest fears, malfunctioning and losing control, not being aware of how others feel and... no. Let me hurt, but let me feel."  
  
"I used to wish I could stop. I pretended I didn't feel anything. But then I met you again and... you're right. I'm not exactly tender-hearted, don't mistake me." She held his hand. "But there's at least one emotion I never want to forget again."  
  
He kissed her forehead. She twisted around and kissed him properly.  
  
"How do you feel about apologizing to him now?" she asked.  
  
"Still don't care."  
  
"Oh, really? Well, suddenly I do. I still don't like the little pratt. But... he was locked away so long and there's just something so soppy about him having blankies and plushies tucked away in a little cry room for when his big brother is mean to him."  
  
"Mean? He was..."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Ugh."  
  
"If there's one way the Walter automatons have achieved humanity," she murmured, snuggling against him. "It's in their sibling strife."  
  
The Spine responded with an affectionate squeeze, and a sulky silence.  
  
\----------  
  
"He's asleep again?" Bunny asked, walking into the room.  
  
"He is sick, after all."  
  
"Pshht, I think he's milking it." She sank into a chair and picked up her drawing tablet.  
  
"How can he..."  
  
Bunny chuckled. "I mean that he's getting the most out of it. Being lazy, being waited on, having a pretty girl take care of him." She winked and started drawing.  
  
Gabi turned away. "Do you really think I'm pretty?"  
  
"Well, sure. You're a cutie. Hasn't anyone told you?"  
  
"Yes..." she said faintly, looking at David. "Someone has..."  
  
Bunny glanced up and smiled to herself. "Good. He usually screws up and shoves girls when he likes them. Nice to know he's evolving..."  
  
"Do you think he likes me, Miss Bunny?"  
  
"Well, yeah! I'd say that's a safe assumption. Oh, and you can drop the 'Miss" seeing as how you saved my brother and all. Even if you do end up working here, in which case I'll mostly likely be your boss, I won't expect you to bow and scrape to me. I'm not a goddess."  
  
The toss of her hair as she said it suggested she might think otherwise...  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Drawing tablet."  
  
"Drawing?" Gabi peered at it. "Oh, my goodness! It's glowing!"  
  
"It's got a light in it," laughed Bunny. "You can draw with this pen, see? And it stays."  
  
"Oh, that's beautiful. I sometimes draw skulls, too. There are a lot in the desert..."  
  
"How about that? Georgia O'Keefe."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"I'll show you some of her art later. So you draw?"  
  
"Sometimes. Tabytha gets me paper and chalk sometimes, but before she moved in, it was usually sand paintings and murals... after a flash flood I like to do sand sculpture."  
  
Bunny looked up in surprise. "Well, that sounds like a lot... you any good?"  
  
"Oh, no, not really..."  
  
Bunny raised an eyebrow. "Do you enjoy it?"  
  
"Oh, yes! I love it."  
  
The matter mistress smiled and put down her tablet. She got up and dug in a drawer, pulling out a sketchbook and some pencils. Opening the sketchbook, she ripped out several used pages and handed the rest over to Gabi.  
  
"Oh, you don't have to..."  
  
"I use this more anyway," said Bunny, picking up her tablet. "I think digital art is a little beyond your reach for now, but if you're going be to cooped up in here with the brain-dead monkey, you're going to have to find some way to pass the hours." She stopped for a moment and sniffed the air. "By the way... awkward question, but... oh, I see you found the kitchen."  
  
"Oh yes... I saved David some vegetables."  
  
Bunny set aside her tablet again. "I think maybe he should start with something easier, like crackers and Gatorade." She stood and picked up the bucket. "The question I had was... have you heard of a bathroom?"  
  
"Tabytha had a privy. She told me about bathrooms, too."  
  
"Ah, good. You've been here all morning, and I just wondered whether you needed to..."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Right. I suspected as much since this hasn't been emptied. Come on. Trust Peter to completely forget the essentials of life. Man lives on energy drinks, you'd think bathrooms would be high in his awareness. We'll get this all taken care of and bring back something easy to digest for David."  
  



	63. Little Big Brother, talking about names - NinjaPastry

"Old man River, that Old man River," Hatchy sang to himself. He wiped oil from his eyes and sniffled, huddled into the corner of the smallest vault he could find, bittersweetly not the one he was previously in. The room was succumbed to the cold feeling of his oil but smoke filled the air with ever puff he let out when he heard a noise. The spiders were coming through the cracks to comfort him.  
  
"Hey," he smiled at them, picking one up with a finger. It crawled about on him and made him laugh, then sniffle. He wiped off his face with one of the blankets, then heard a fist at his door.  
  
"Go away!" his voice cracked.  
  
"Hatchworth," a voice replied, muffled. It was hard to tell male from female, so he yelled at them to go away once more.  
  
"Hatchworth you bloody poof let me in there or I'm dragging you out!"  
  
"Drag me out! I dare you!" Well, if he insisted. Hatchworth watched in a perplexed fear as the door came off it's hinges and fell to the other side, a pair of black leather boots and silver legs stood in the way. He screamed a little before a hand reached under the height of the vault and grabbed his shirt, dragging him out into the hall of the basement. Hatchet stood above him, a look of anger on her face, but not the right look in her eyes. She sat beside him and wrapped her arms around him, making him suddenly very sad.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
  
"Feeling bad," she replied. "I understand how long you were in there. We both were rusting away."  
  
"I just never realized how hard it was on you," Hatchy sighed, returning the hug.  
  
"You're my big brother and to hear you hate me hurt, Hatchworth."  
  
"I'm sorry, Hatchet." He smiled and they ended the hug, Hatchet helping him to his fee and back up the stairs. "Now, about The Spine...?"  
  
"He wants to apologize, as well, but he seems to think now is not the right time." Hatchworth nodded as they got to the first floor, seeing Matt and Jan sift though boxes in one of the storage rooms. Hatchet peered in, Hatchworth putting up her hood so they wouldn't see her.  
  
"What are you two up to?" Hatchworth asked for her. She looked at him strangely and went to put her hood of her dress back down, but he gave her a look.  
  
"Looking for school supplies for Jan," Matt replied. "She's going to public school and she doesn't have any of supplies she needs." Matt turned and looked at Hatchworth, then sighed. "Look at you; you're a complete mess."  
  
"I know, Matt," Hatchworth sighed. "I will go clean myself up now. Have fun, home dog," he smiled and waved at the two bots and then left, Hatchet following.  
  
=  
  
"so, names," Sam sighed. Chelsea looked up from organizing her underwear and looked at him. "What are some names?"  
  
"We don't even know the gender, Sam," she laughed.  
  
"I know, but some to think about."  
  
"What, like, Agatha?"  
  
"Yeah, that or Maye, or even Selene," Sam said to her as he hung up his vests and shirts in the closet.Everything was coming together nicely and Paige had brought up the last of the boxes before helping with bringing up all of Matt, Mike's and Jan's boxes.  
  
Spine finished organizing his room and even Admin Jon's, making sure everything was perfect. Between the rooms was a brick wall in which he drew a large oval and left chalk for the both sides to use. He set up QWERTY in the room and in Admin Jon's, then set up a stage in the married room and a large hammock of wires, giving Admin Jon a smaller one.  
  
"Quite the names," The Spine smiled as he walked past their door to Admin Jon's. "Ever think about maybe Iris?"  
  
"Nah," they said in unison. "Too close to home," Sam finished. "Plus Peter would feel honored. hat little prick doesn't deserve to feel honored at some moments."  
  
"Like with the whole messing with David thing?"  
  
"Yeah," Chelsea added. "That."


	64. David sees the doc, Steve walks throught the manor with Lil Steve, Carolina heads home - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And as I mentioned, this is pretty much a totally different Chelsea... This is really a very shameless fanfic. ;)

"Deep breath." Pause. "And another one."  
  
David took the deepest breath he could manage and started coughing.  
  
"Alright. Yes, there's something there... Let's have a look at your throat, David."  
  
David felt like a five-year-old when the man spoke to him, for some reason, but he complied as his sister looked on worriedly. He wouldn't admit it, but it scared him when she looked at him that way. He'd just been sick... but Bunny was worried. Bunny fussed over things, but didn't usually worry... Maybe I really am sick... maybe she thinks I'm gonna die...  
  
"Yes, okay... Looks like he's got pneumonia."  
  
"You're kidding," Bunny said. "I was just trying to make Peter feel guilty..."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Never mind. How does a 27-year-old get pneumonia in the middle of the desert?"  
  
"He must have been coming down with something already. The physical strain and the sunburn weakened his immune system and here we are. I'll write him a prescription. He needs to take this with food, twice a day, until it's all gone. Understood?"  
  
"Got it." Bunny took the paper he held out to her, looked at it, made a puzzled face, and said, "Can he get dressed now? Because the whiteness is burning out my retinas."  
  
David snickered and coughed again. "Do I get a sucker?" he asked with a grin when he had recovered.  
  
Five minutes later, they shuffled out into the lobby and found Gabi asleep in one of the chairs. David's heart gave a happy little thump when he saw her. She wasn't in the fur bikini anymore; Chelsea had given her a t-shirt, jeans, and thong sandals, and Bunny had loaned her a cap to cover her tiny horns. But even in the commonplace clothing, fast asleep, drooling slightly, she made him warm all over.  
  
Well, he was pretty sure it was her and not the fever.  
  
She stirred when Bunny gently patted her back. "Is he alright?" she asked worriedly.  
  
"He will be."  
  
Gabi laughed and stood up, standing on the side Bunny wasn't supporting and putting her arm around his back. "My goodness, you humans are tall..."  
  
"Some of us," he said weakly. He held up a grape lolly. "Want a sucker?"  
  
"You should have told him you were kidding about that," Bunny commented.  
  
"Who says I was kidding?"  
  
Gabi giggled as they made their way out the door.  
  
\----------  
  
"I'm walkin' on sunshiine..." Steve sang, trotting into the manor. He was eager to get some sleep, and yet completely hyper. It would have been confusing if he hadn't been so drunk with joy.  
  
He decided to wear himself out doing rounds before he crashed. Bunny, he assumed, would be busy with her slime-coated brother. His first stop was the kitchen. No one was there but he scored a bag of leftover bacon. This was also confusing, until he remembered that various household members were sick, preoccupied, or vegan.  
  
"More for me," he chuckled. He sometimes caught flak for eating so much meat, but at least he and Peter knew that he'd be a very sick dragon without it.  
  
"Hey, don't hog it," said Lil Steve.  
  
"You can't eat, Lil Steve," he said, as the golem clambered up his leg and slipped into his loose pants pocket.  
  
"Ruin all my hopes and dreams, why dontcha? Hey, you wouldn't believe what happened to me."  
  
Steve grinned. "Do I ever?"  
  
By the time they found more people, Lil Steve had spun him the the biggest whopper he'd heard from him yet.  
  
"And then he rezzed me. Just like that. And everyone was all like...." His voice grew high and syrupy. "'Oh, Lil Steve, we thought you were dead! Oh, we love you so much! Never leave us again or we'll cry forever!'"  
  
"Wow, that's pretty dramatic, Lil Steve," he said, smiling.  
  
"Tell me about it! And you missed it all because of your hot little..."  
  
"Watch it. That's my wife you're talkin' about."  
  
"Your what?"  
  
"Well, she will be. Once we get it all taken care of."  
  
"Wait wait wait... you're leaving?"  
  
"Only at night. I can transport back in the daytime."  
  
"What about me?"  
  
"You can come along."  
  
"I don't wanna watch you play tonsil-hockey with Mrs. Negrete!"  
  
"She's probably gonna hyphenate..."  
  
"I'm not sharing a room with you and your squeeze, dude!"  
  
"Of course not! You'd cramp my style. You could stay with Emmeline."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"And her kitten."  
  
Lil Steve was silent. He looked slowly up at Steve.  
  
"New plan. I stay here at night and see you in the day like everyone else. Good? Good."  
  
They entered a hallway with Walter workers bustling about, moving things around as Sam and Chelsea headed upstairs and other workers moved their things into the vacated rooms.  
  
"I heard that... You can stay with Sam and me, Lil Steve," said Chelsea teasingly. She was carrying a box upstairs.  
  
"Ohhhh no. I caught a glimpse of you two wrestling a while back and I still haven't recovered from the trauma."  
  
Everyone in the hall froze on the spot. In the silence, Lil Steve said, "Come on, you knew you did it. Why's everyone freaking out?"  
  
"Lil Steve!" Chelsea howled.  
  
In a swift flurry of motion, the hallway was suddenly empty except for Steve, Lil Steve, and Chelsea.  
  
"I am so sorry..." Steve began.  
  
"No... it's just... I guess... it just didn't seem real," Chelsea whispered, he cheeks a deep blue.  
  
"Even after you found out you were... y'know..." Steve said reluctantly, inching away.  
  
Chelsea put one hand over her abdomen absent-mindedly. "The whole thing is still so... surreal, y'know? I mean, I like Sam... we always kid around and I guess it got sort of flirty at times... Sometimes he'd give me this look and I guess I kinda felt like maybe he..."  
  
Sam sailed into the hall.  
  
"Oh, hey Steve... Lil Steve. Um... Chelsea... Something wrong?"  
  
"Lil Steve saw us... y'know."  
  
"We should..." Steve said quickly.  
  
"And suddenly it's a federal case, sheesh!" Lil Steve interrupted. "It's not like I wanted to hear you two huffing and puffing and saying you loved each other..."  
  
"We didn't..." Sam began. "Love? I mean... Did we?"  
  
Chelsea looked at him blankly. Sam blushed blue to match her.  
  
"You don't even know."  
  
"Shut it, Lil Steve..." Steve said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Wait!" cried Chelsea. "Who said it? Both of us, or..."  
  
Sam stared at her with wide eyes. "Does it matter? I mean, if we were drunk and out of it, it doesn't mean anything..."  
  
"No, of course not," she said softly, not looking at him.  
  
"Does it? I mean...I know we... kissed and all... but you said... I thought you weren't sure how you felt... y'know, about me..."  
  
"It's complicated...  
  
"I... think we should go..." Steve said slowly.  
  
He hurried down the hall, hearing Chelsea say, "When you work with someone day after day, you sometimes... well, you don't even realize... that... Sometimes you need a shock to realize that something... is... That you..."  
  
"Do you need a minute?"  
  
Steve sped up but his sharp hearing caught a whisper. "No! I mean that sometimes you work with a guy and it takes something like this to make you think... and you realize... that you love him."  
  
"Chelsea..." Sam whispered.  
  
Steve ran for it.  
  
"What?" asked Lil Steve. His ears were full of polyester fiberfill.  
  
"I don't know whether to hug you or throw you down the laundry chute!!" he cried. "Turns out Chelsea's actually in love with that mook!"  
  
"Well, yeah, I said that. They were rolling around and she's all like..."  
  
"No!"  
  
"'I've always loved you, Sam!' and he was like, 'I love you too but I had to get drunk to admit it' and they were all kissy face like mwa mwa mwa..."  
  
"The laundry chute it is."  
  
"Whoa! I'll be good!"  
  
"Cool it, I'm kidding."  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"Just don't tell me anymore about what you saw... wait, how long did you watch them?"  
  
"I ran for it after they started opening buttons!"  
  
Steve snorted. "You little turd! You made it sound like you saw them... y'know... doin' it."  
  
"Doin' what?"  
  
There was that unexpected innocence again. "Never mind. Well, I never saw that coming. Everyone knows Sam is into Chelsea. Sam never seemed to figure it out but it's pretty much common knowledge. Except maybe to Chelsea. Well."  
  
He trotted toward Peter's office. He knew the scientist was supposed to get some sleep, but more often than not, he got his sleep mask-down on his desk.  
  
He found Peter sitting on the sofa next to Rabbit, who had both arms wrapped around him and her head on his shoulder.  
  
Steve wiped his hand across his eyes. "I leave for a couple of hours..."  
  
Peter tipped his mask toward him and said blearily, "Please help me."  
  
"You want me to call a preacher?"  
  
"Not now, Steve," Peter groaned. "I came in here to hear what it was that was troubling Rabbit, but instead she just told me how much I sound like Colonel Walter and snuggled up to me and went into stasis. I swear she called me Pappy right before she powered down. I can't reach my phone and I'm so tired, Steve..."  
  
Steve snickered. Lil Steve guffawed.  
  
"My neck is killing me, please peel her off..."  
  
Steve, still grinning, pulled out his phone. "Mike? Come get Rabbit. She's exhausted and needs to be put into her stasis chamber."  
  
"Sweet, I can actually carry her there now," Michael responded.  
  
At least the man was enjoying his new-found robotic strength rather than moping about what he'd lost...  
  
Once Michael Reed had carried Rabbit out like a sleeping child, Steve asked, "What's her problem, anyway?"  
  
"I don't know... something about The Spine having a black eye..."  
  
"He can't get a black eye!"  
  
"And he was bleeding... I don't know, it made no sense to me either."  
  
"Just lay back on your nice sofa and get some sleep, alright? It's nearly noon and I bet you'll sleep straight through until tomorrow morning."  
  
"Probably," Peter mumbled, leaning back. Steve threw a lab coat over him and left.  
  
He headed upstairs and heard Hatchworth speaking.  
  
"She said I had a nice mustache."  
  
"You do."  
  
Steve couldn't place the voice.  
  
"And when it was time for me to go, she..."  
  
"Go on, don't be shy."  
  
"She kissed me! Right on the lips! Does that mean we are married?"  
  
The other voice giggled helplessly. "No, you bloody git. But it does mean she likes you. Does that please you?"  
  
"It does, you know. I am very fond of her as well."  
  
"You and your old-fashioned speech..."  
  
"Hey, I am hip, dog! I have a slang module Rabbit gave me."  
  
The other voice giggled more. Steve made his steps louder to warn them, then headed around the corner.  
  
Hatchworth was alone. Steve stared in surprise before gasping quietly. Of course! He must be talking to... wait... didn't he hate her?  
  
"Hatchy."  
  
"Steve-o. How do you do?"  
  
"I'm great, Hatchy. I'm getting married."  
  
"Oh! Does that please you?"  
  
Steve grinned. "Very much. I can hardly wait."  
  
"That is good."  
  
"Meatbags," Lil Steve said with a note of disgust.  
  
They stood in silence.  
  
"Do not let me keep you," Hatchworth said politely.  
  
"Right. I'll be getting some sleep as soon as I finish rounds."  
  
"Understood."  
  
Steve walked away, chuckling softly to himself as he heard Hatchworth whisper, "What do I do next time I see her? Do I kiss her? I do not know the rules of this... It is not turn based, is it?"  
  
The low voice responded, "Maybe you should talk to Peter about this. I may be a little too advanced to advise you properly."  
  
"Peter does not know anything about women. I think he is gay."  
  
"Anything's possible..."  
  
Steve chuckled. If anything, Peter was in love with data... but he, Steve, happened to know of at least two times the scientist had had romances he thought none of them knew about, and both of his love interests had been female.  
  
There was a certain amount of comic potential in letting them think he was gay, though.  
  
"Is he gay?" asked Lil Steve.  
  
"First of all, do you even know what that means?"  
  
"Uh... means you like clog dancing."  
  
"Where did that come from?"  
  
"Bavaria."  
  
"No, I mean... Never mind."  
  
They passed through the family wing. The door to The Spine's new apartment was open. Steve peered in and saw The Spine sitting in the darkness in a big armchair. He opened his mouth and stopped, recognizing the soft sounds of stasis. He hurried on his way.  
  
But after he'd gone a few steps, he could hear the robot activate; the little buzz and hiss that came with motion, as though he had turned to look toward the door, possibly? Well, if The Spine wanted to be left alone that badly, he wouldn't bother him.  
  
He heard someone speaking once more. Matt and Janelle were having a heated discussion as they approached.  
  
"I guess we need to know whether they wear uniforms..."  
  
"This is so stupid! Why can't I just go to cyber school?"  
  
"I don't really know anything about those and the school said they have to have proof that our circumstance requires it..."  
  
"Being a robot isn't enough reason?" she cried.  
  
"Matt," said Steve as they passed, carrying boxes. "Janelle."  
  
They each nodded and went on arguing.  
  
He moved on, finally reaching his new room. He flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling once more. Lil Steve wriggled free of his pocket, gave a little salute, and trotted out.  
  
Now that he was alone in the stillness and quiet, he felt it. She'd been gone for two whole hours. He'd see her soon, but for now she was flying all the way to the other side of the world. The room felt emptier than ever.  
  
He got up and jogged through the manor, hoping he wasn't too late. To his delight, Carol's room was just as she'd left it. He sighed. She'd slept in that bed for a week. He lay down and buried his face in her pillow and took a deep breath.  
  
Roses... and something more... Carol. Her scent.  
  
He wrapped his arms around the pillow, kicked off his boots, and drifted off to sleep in his clothes.  
  
\----------  
  
"This has been great, but I should get back."  
  
"Why? Why should either of us go back?"  
  
"We work there..."  
  
"I don't have to."  
  
"I do. And if you're suggesting what I think you are... I am really enjoying myself, but I haven't forgotten, Leo. It's not just that I don't want to go to jail. It's for your sake. And I'd feel creepy, to be honest. I already feel a little weird about that kiss..."  
  
"Those kisses," he said with a grin.  
  
"And that just makes you seem younger. But if we go back, we can spend time together, y'know? Like before. And in a few years..."  
  
"I get it, alright? I don't want to put you at risk. But you'll have to go back without me for now. I'm still not sure."  
  
"Well... alright..."  
  
"Come back tomorrow?"  
  
Carolina groaned inwardly. She wanted to, but this was exactly what she'd been afraid of.  
  
"Don't push it, okay? I mean, I will, but. Y'know. Help me be strong."  
  
"Help you? You're the strongest person in Walter Manor."  
  
"Tell that to The Spine," she said, smiling.  
  
He leaned forward and she hesitated. It was only going to make it harder...  
  
"One last one?" he murmured.  
  
They kissed, but she kept it short. Yes, that makes it okay, she told herself sarcastically. She sighed, said goodbye, and hurried out, admiring the pale pink of her skin while it lasted.  
  



	65. Sibling donnybrook, Repairing The Spine - NinjaPastry

Janelle set down her box as Matt did in the next room. Anger was all she could feel, burning in her engine and making sparks shoot from her neck. Matt walked around the wall to her and Michael's doorway and sighed as she turned around, fists clenched, and nose scrunched up.  
  
Matt took a reluctant step back and put his hands up defensively. "You're going to yell at me, I know it."  
  
"Whose idea was it to go back to school anyhow?" she asked rather quietly.  
  
"George W. Bush."  
  
She cursed under her breath, still tense. She walked up to him and huffed. "Why are you making me do this?"  
  
"Because I love you-"  
  
"Why are you forcing me to go to a place that you pulled me out of in the first place?"  
  
"I pulled you out so people would stop asking about your cuts and bruises!"  
  
"To spend more time with the monster that caused them?"  
  
"That's our father you are talking about!"  
  
"And whose side are you on anyways, Matt? You sound like freaking Anakin Skywalker!"  
  
"I'm on your side! The side that got pushed down the basement stairs for not turning off the television at precisely 9 o'clock to get ready for school!"  
  
"I got it way worse than you did and you know it," she hissed, stepping closer to him. He took another step back and she harshly pushed him against the wall.  
  
"No thanks to you, Mr. Prefect, I'm six feet underground with my chest ripped open!"  
  
"And no thanks to you, Ms. Prissy, I'm six feet underground with my best friend who is illegally screwing you laying beside me. For God's sake, Janelle! I was unrecognizable! They couldn't tell my facial features from the trucks' damage to me!"  
  
"Your life ended shortly, happily, while I suffered not knowing where I was in the world and I slowly died, not quickly like how you did. They forced it into my heart, Matt! It hurt like heIl! After three months of not even knowing my name I wanted to scream yours but couldn't because of the growing insignia of Becile Industries burning into my flesh as they ran, the dagger still lodged in my breast bone."  
  
"Boo hoo hoo Janelle. You sound like mom," Matt said finally. It was quiet for a while, Matt looking a the workers surrounding them. A few gasps and mumbles of who throws the first punch went around, but then Guy shouted "get'em!" in French.  
  
Janelle grabbed Matt's cheek swirl and he put his hands on her shoulders, trying to push her away. She tore off the metal and he screamed loudly, shaking violently. He fell to his knees and screamed again before she kicked him hard in the face, sending him head-first into the wall. He fell into defensive stasis and landed on his side, Sam running up to Janelle and holding her back.  
  
"Boo hoo hoo my metallic a-"  
  
"Not now, sweetheart," Sam whispered into her ear, his finger hitting her power off button hiddenly. She shut down and he carried her away, the workers rushing to Matt's aid once they left the scene. Sam carried her all the way to the elevator and then dragged her into a vault, following Peter's instructions for the groundings they were allowed to. Chelsea gave him a worried look as the doors reopened and he walked back onto the sixth floor.  
  
"Everything alright now?" Sam asked her. He walked past her, as she thought, and gently took her hand in his.  
  
"He's being rushed to the workshop where Carolina will take care of him. She just got back."  
  
"Good." They smiled a little and Sam kissed her cheek before walking to the end of the hall and unpacking Jan's things for her as Guy did so with Matt's belongings.  
  
=  
  
Hatchet and Hatchworth looked nothing alike by any means. Hatchet was slim, tall, curvy, while Hatchworth was a short stack block of a man with bright orange hair instead of silky dark brown hair. She had more cat-eyed ended eyes while his were plain circles behind his glasses. In no way could Hatchet see how she was a copy of him, for her name had a different meaning than his.  
  
Before her body switch when she signed with Grimm, her shoulders had hatches in them to hold the supplies Peter the First needed to repair the bots or things Jon and Rabbit destroyed. Now she didn't have them, but she still liked the name. Gave her a more deadly persona.  
  
Hatchworth looked at her while she sat back in the chair as he sat on the couch and smiled. It was one of the never-used living rooms with an old 1900's tele box with static on the screen against the wall. There were cob webs around the corners and a spider found home on Hatchworth's hat, watching the world go by with a little smile on it's face.  
  
Hatchet grinned and rested her head against the back of the couch and Hatchworth sighed.  
  
"Should this be our 'need to talk about whatever' place?" he asked her. She nodded and let her fingers dance across her knee, a tune unfamiliar to Hatchworth stuck in her head. "Well then, I would like to talk about whatever."  
  
"Yes darling?"  
  
"What is wrong with The Spine?" he asked. Hatchet lifted her head and shut the tele off, staring at him with wide eyes. The teal and blue lights lit the room as the blinds shut and the drapes were dawn shut by her power. He got scared, curling up on the couch and watching her sit there in awe of his question.  
  
"You want... you want to know... oh no..." She put her head in her hands and started to cry, Hatchworth watching her back rise and fall her her quiet sobs. He hesitated to stand, then walked to her and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her back, his hand upon her small shoulder.  
  
"You can tell me. I will not be anything but alright."  
  
"I can't tell you or you will hate me again," she said, looking at him, oil running from her eyes and onto the floor. Oil dripped into her hands and fell down the length of her arm but she quickly wiped it away.  
  
"I will not hate you," Hatchworth said, holding his breath.  
  
"He's being torn apart from the inside by the darkness of soul-stealing. He's becoming a Reaper, like me." Hatchet sniffled and looked to the floor,, awaiting Hatchworth's reaction. To her surprise all he did was smile and rub her shoulder.  
  
"As long as he's still my brother and can still go to shows."  
  
"I'm helping him through the process of it so he can," she said, coughing and smiling weakly at him. "I think he wants to apologize to you now."  
  
"No need," he said, putting a hand up. "I understand now. He's just scared."  
  
"In some way, yes. He is. Thankyou for understanding, Hatchworth," she said, saying her usual "wurf" instead of "worth", making him smile. He patted her shoulder and hey walked out, Hatchworth putting Hatchet's hood up.  
  
"Let's go find Spine, then." They headed up the spiral staircase to the sixth floor and found The Spine on the floor, Hatchet quickly shutting the door behind Hatchworth. She tire down her hood and knelt beside him, picking him up slowly.  
  
"Love, what's wrong?"  
  
"I... I can't feel anything in my body," he replied slowly, breathfully. "Nothing..."  
  
"Emotions?"  
  
"Scared."  
  
"Okay... Can you feel my touch?" she asked, placing a hand to his face. He shook his head and looked at her as he darkness under his eyes went deeper. Hatchworth gasped and stood against the door. She ran her hand across his chest and core, slipping her hand underneath his shirt and he sighed, nothing.  
  
"What's happening to me?" he asked her, taking her hand in his.  
  
"You're not responding very well to the treatment," she said quickly, running over to the closet. "Hatchy, no looking." Hatchworth spun around and stared at the door while Hatchet stripped and grabbed her worker's uniform: a tank top, gloves, shorts and her boots. She wore goggles around her neck and red suspenders she stole from Jon's room.  
  
Hatchet quickly put her clothes on and dragged Spine over to the brick wall. She picked up chalk and drew the oval, the knob, then crashed into the brick with her shoulder. Her shoulder cracked and she did it again, Hatchworth cringing while he watched. She screamed in pain, then busted through the brick.  
  
"Hatchet!" Hatchworth shouted as she fell, dragging Spine down in with her. He ran to the portal and noticed his balance wasn't quite working, as if the portal was sucking him in.  
  
"Hatchworth, no!" she screamed. He fell in right as the portal closed and drifted into the spiraling swirl beside them, Hatchet grabbing his hand and bracing for impact. They hit the ground rather softly and spread apart. Spine hit the wall and Hatchworth landed face-first into the nether rack. Hatchet, in her lonesome, sat up and coughed out purple dust.  
  
"Hatchworth?" she asked, crawling over to him. "You alright?" He sat up and smiled, Hatchet laughing and wiping away the red ash from his features. "Dork," she scoffed. She crawled over to The Spine and held his head up, watching as his eyes went to black. He grabbed her throat and Stood, raising her into the air.  
  
She grabbed his hand and gasped, clawing at his face with the other. The room was large, like a Cathedral hallway, making it seem as if she was being offered to Grimm. The room was lit by red stained glass windows, the rest black painted bricks with what looked like metal reinforced doors with chains and locks of obsidian.  
  
"PIne," she managed. "Please let me go..!"  
  
Orth intervened and tugged on Pine's shirt, grabbing his attention. He dropped his wife and she fell to the floor, gasping, then jumped onto his back and shut him down before he could grab Orth.  
  
"Thank you," Chet smiled, grabbing Pine's arm. Orth took the other one and they dragged him down the hall.  
  
"Where are we headed?" the older brother asked.  
  
"Workshop. The other reapers know how to handle this."  
  
"Others?"  
  
"Well, T0mmy, my clone, and Grimm Reaper himself." They lifted him upon a table after walking about with him for a while, the spirits and messengers looking at the boiler-bot strangely. "They don't really like you," Chet finally confessed to Orth as spirits surrounded Pine.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You're living."  
  
"Spine's livi-"  
  
"No, he's dead. We are dead. That was the deal our souls to save the manor. Well, mine was. His was to save the fans from harm until time for them has actually come to them, such as old age or car crashes." She leaned agains the door and watched the spirits repair him, Orth taking a stand beside her.  
  
"But you cry and you laugh and you... nasty...."  
  
"Because we can," she said. "Being dead doesn't mean you can't do anything. Take the Smiths for example," she said to him. "They're both dead, coffins and all, but as we speak they're walking about and bickering and laughing and crying and- well, I don't think Matt has anyone to 'nasty' with, but Janelle is for sure..."  
  
"Do not talk about my sister having nasty with Michael, lease," he cringed. Chet nodded and patted his shoulder, stepping back up to the table and removing Pine's head and spine from his body. Orth watched in wonder of how this all worked and stepped closer, but not too close to get in anyone's way. Chet held Pine's head and spine as the spirits carried his body away and she set him down, handing a spirit his fedora and slicking back his hair.  
  
"So sexy, aren't you?" she whispered. With a struggle she ripped out his spine and opened his head up like a orange peel and got to work, putting her goggles over her eyes. When she turned to look at Orth's horrified look, her goggles were bright teal, not a glimpse of anything around her eyes at all. He stepped back into the wall and whimpered.  
  
"Please, love, don't be scared. It's just like regular repairs. It doesn't hurt him since he's asleep... okay?"  
  
Orth only nodded and Chet went back to work.  
  



	66. Carolina updates Peter, Hatchworth meets Grimm - Whistler

Peter woke around seven in the evening when Carolina came in carrying his dinner.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were just too busy to come to dinner."  
  
"I was," he chuckled, stretching. "I actually feel pretty good. They say it's continuous sleep that counts. My studies have borne that out..."  
  
"Your studies? When have you done studies on sleep?"  
  
"All my life. I'm an expert on sleep deprivation. But didn't Steve tell you I was sleeping?"  
  
"He's curled up in Carol's bed," she said with a smirk.  
  
"What? Didn't she leave?"  
  
"Drink your coffee and wake up, dumbhead. Yeah, she left! Sam said you saw her leave. Steve's curled up in the bed she slept in. Chelsea went to wash the sheets and clean the room and there he was."  
  
He snaked a straw under his mask and slurped his coffee. "Oh. Guess you can do that after he wakes up."  
  
"Are you crazy? I told her to take his stuff to that room instead! He's there because it smells like her."  
  
"What? That's weird."  
  
"You've never been in love, have you?" she snorted.  
  
"Sort of."  
  
She laughed. "It's kind of an all-senses thing, Peter. Especially for a dragon..."  
  
They looked sharply at each other.  
  
"I-I mean..." she stammered.  
  
"Don't... don't freak out. I already know. It makes sense that you know, too. I know he burned his own room. I know why. I assume you were there at some point?"  
  
"I saw the whole thing," she sighed, relieved. She hadn't been able to talk about it to anyone and it was killing her.  
  
"He's from Snornia. He's here on kind of an internship, or was. He pretty much completed it last year. There aren't many opportunities for nerdy types in Snornia..."  
  
"Nerdy types? He's like Chuck freakin' Norris..."  
  
"Compared to us, yes. Compared to other dragons, he's... well, I won't say he's a ninety-eight pound weakling; he can take care of himself. But he's considered to be studious and not really grounded in the things he needs to make an honest living. He's like an English Lit major..."  
  
"Oh. Well, alright... the poor little geek is curled up with his face buried in Carol's pillow, fast asleep. And it is my opinion that until he marries Carol and starts commuting, or so Sam described it, he'll be happier in her room."  
  
"Whatever. It's not like he was in the other one that long anyway. So how's Rabbit?"  
  
"Still offline. Her stasis cycle pinged about an hour ago but Michael seemed to think you wanted her to stay shut down until you could talk to her."  
  
"Good, yeah, she's freaking out about something she saw and I have to decide whether I really want to know. But I have to, don't I? I have to know if she's malfunctioning, or if it's yet another thing going on in my house that I don't know about." He ran his fingers restlessly through his golden mop of hair. "I tell you, Carolina, when my dad gets back from traveling, he's gonna throw me out and take charge again himself, I just know it."  
  
"Oh, Peter..." she said pleasantly.  
  
"You're pretty cheerful right now. How's Leo?"  
  
"He's good."  
  
"There's a tone there... maybe I'm not fully awake. You haven't done anything I might be liable for, have you?"  
  
"What? Why would you be liable?" she asked uneasily.  
  
"I'm responsible for him, Carolina! You did, didn't you? You..."  
  
"No! For crying out loud, give me some credit!" she barked, hands on her hips. "I'm sorry if your staff and robots have turned into the cast of Friends, but I'm not robbing the cradle, Peter!"  
  
"Alright, alright!" he cried, holding his hands up defensively. "So why are you blushing?"  
  
"It's an awkward subject..."  
  
"Hey... you're kinda mauve now when you blush... I guess that makes sense. Alright, well, so he's good. When is he coming back?"  
  
"Um, remember? He's not sure if he even is?"  
  
"Dang it. Alright, well, what I really need now is robots anyway. I'll hork down this lovely meal and see about Rabbit. Can you get Hatchworth and..."  
  
"I can't..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He's... sort of gone missing."  
  
"Oh, psssh, they wander off all the time. Just get him on the wi-fi..."  
  
"I'm trying to telling you, he isn't responding!"  
  
"Quit cutting me off! Wait... shouldn't that have been the first thing you told me?"  
  
"Sorry... you take it all in stride after a few years..."  
  
"Have you asked around?"  
  
"That would be part of knowing he's missing, yes."  
  
"Don't get snarky. What about The Spine? Or has he gone to bed?"  
  
"Ugh. No, his room is wide open. No one there."  
  
"They didn't sneak back to the HoW for a game of afternoon rugby, did they?"  
  
"A game of...? No, he's not responding to wi-fi either. And I checked, the portal is cold. So Hatchy didn't head back to see his sandwich..."  
  
"I could actually hear how you spelled that." He sighed. "Alright, I'll wolf this meal and then I'll need Michael and Matt both to stand by when I switch Rabbit back on in case she freaks out..."  
  
"Okay. I think Matt's done being repaired..."  
  
He put his hand over his mask in a classic gesture of weariness. "What."  
  
"He and Jingle got in a little fight..."  
  
"I don't dare sleep, do I? I can't even go to sleep..."  
  
"It was just a little piece on his cheek, he looks as good as new..."  
  
"Right. I'm still gonna eat. I'm starving. Just ask them to meet me in Rabbit's room in twenty, okay?""  
  
\----------  
  
Chet hummed softly to herself as she worked. Orth was drumming along.  
  
"I thought you played bass, love," she said absently, reaching a pair of tweezers into Pine's cranial cavity.  
  
"I am programmed to play bass, guitar, drums, and a little piano. Just in case."  
  
"Handy."  
  
There was a whoosh and a dark presence stood in the room.  
  
"Where did I leave that spanner..." Grimm stopped short and looked at Orth. Orth wiggled his fingers and smiled.  
  
"Ugh! What in the Underworld are you doing in here?"  
  
"I am waiting for my sister to fix The Spi-"  
  
Hatchet cleared her throat.  
  
"She is fixing Pine. That is a silly name but she is fixing him."  
  
Grimm rounded on her slowly. "I need my spanner," he said darkly.  
  
She snorted. The room grew darker.  
  
"My apologies, your greatness," she murmured, still working. "It sounded curiously commonplace for one so grand. An amusing moment of condescension."  
  
"Indeed." He sounded skeptical but remained stationary.  
  
"It's in the bin under the bench, Grimm."  
  
He retrieved the tool and leaned over her work. "Trouble in paradise?"  
  
"Quite the opposite," she responded. "Trouble in He!!. Paradise is going swimmingly."  
  
"No details, please. Send me word if you are unable to complete the work yourself. Pine promises to be a most satisfactory tool. I do not wish to see him rendered inoperable."  
  
"He's not a tool. He is my brother," Orth said bravely.  
  
Grimm stared back at him as the room grew darker once more.  
  
"Orth..." Hatchet warned.  
  
"My brother is special. He is tall and scary and now you have made him even more scary but he is not a tool!"  
  
"If you were not shielded by your own disgusting innocence..."  
  
"But he is..." Hatchet sang softly.  
  
Grimm looked at her sharply. "Be swift in your repairs and get out of here, the lot of you!" He turned back to the stove-bot. "Until such time as Fate gives me power to know you better, Orth..."  
  
"I look forward to it, Rimm," Orth said darkly.  
  
Hatchet gasped, looking up at last. She hissed, "Not HIM, Orth!"  
  
"But you said everyone..." said Orth, suddenly sounding childlike once more.  
  
Grimm seemed to fill the whole room. But he laid not so much as a finger on Orth.  
  
"That new friend of yours, Orth," he said slowly. "I think you should visit her more often. Take along some wine as a gift. Might make a man out of you." He smiled the kind of smile that usually preceded a vicious bite to the jugular vein and spirited himself from the room.  
  
"I do not understand..." Orth said blankly through the cloud of dark mist left behind.  
  
"It means," she said, returning to her work, "that if you know what's good for you, you'll only ever play cards and share chaste kisses with your witch friend and not let her get creative with what you have. I've seen enough witches to know their versatility..."  
  
"What do I have?"  
  
"Fortunately for you, as I understand it, nothing at all. Congratulations."  
  
"I appreciate it." He smiled blandly. Hatchet, glancing his way, laughed softly.  
  
"How could I have been angry at you, Orth?" she murmured. "It's like being angry at a pug puppy."  
  



	67. Jingle's tantrum, Leo's accident, Special Delivery and the Spine is all fixed - NinjaPastry

"You can't keep putting me in here," Jingle screamed from the other side of the door. Michael walked around the corner, a worried look on hi face, and headed towards Sam's spot outside the vault door.  
  
"If you keep tearing apart your siblings and freaking out when someone dies, then yes you will!" Sam yelled back, pushing his glasses back up. "You are going to get your education and that is final young lady!"  
  
"Woah, what happened?" Michael whispered.  
  
"She tore off Matt's cheek plate in a fit of rage," he replied. Michael sighed and looked at the vault door. Inside stood his lovely lady, well, lovely girl. Sometimes she wasn't even lovely. He began to wonder- more like realize -he started ignoring her in the first place.  
  
"Janelle Maryanne," he sighed before leaning his ear against the door. At that point she gave up and smashed her fist against the door, in turn shattering her hand. She cried out and fell to her knees, then did it again with the other. Sam and Michael exchanged worried looks. Michael frantically tried to open the door, putting in the code and twisting the turn knob.  
  
"Jingle," Michael yelled, pulling at the door only to realize it was jammed. She screamed and stopped suddenly, bursting open her voice box and breaking that, too. "Why the heck did you put her in here!?" Michael yelled at Sam.  
  
"I was trying to keep her from hurting anyone else!"  
  
"Well look how that's ending up!"  
  
They pulled at the door until Michael kicked it at the bottom and it fell outward, nearly crushing Sam under it if Michael didn't grab him first. Janelle now lay on the ground in puddles of oil and gasoline, sparks shooting from her neck.  
  
"Oh no," Sam huffed. Michael pushed him away and motioned for him to run, grabbing her and shutting her systems down the instant she set aflame. Panic ensued and Michael held back the shut down for the short time it took him to get the flames out before anything else could.  
  
"Sam," Michael said loudly, poking his head out of the vault, "Take her to repairs. I have to clean up and sit and think for a while..."  
  
Sam ran back in and stood back, coughing and waving his hand round to get rid of some of the smoke in his face. "I forget you guys can't inhale this stuff," he said before taking the smoking girl in his arms for Michael.  
  
=  
  
Hot... So much hot... was all Leo could think as he walked to the gates of the camp. His friends waved at him and a few trucks passed him on the way in, guys with cigarettes laughing and throwing lit butts at each other to see if they would burn as badly as they hoped it would.  
  
Leo looked and laughed to himself when one guy screamed and punched the other in the arm so hard he nearly fell out of the truck bed. He did a spin to look back at them, laugh, and then face the gate again. Three feet from the exit, he felt something hit him and hard. It felt familiar, flashes of camo and sweaty helmets going through his mind.  
  
For some reason he couldn't feel his legs or his arms, nearly feeling nothing much at all. He head muffled shouting and everything started getting fuzzy, the spirits laughing and screaming in his face as everything got dizzy and funny looking. He hit the dust and felt stabbing pain in his back, but couldn't pin point where it came from.  
  
If it was one thing Cl. Kinglser couldn't take (like how I can look at gaping wounds but will gag at the sight of a bloody nose) is gun shots, especially to himself.  
  
=  
  
Bri and Paige knocked upon the open doorway of the new Walter^2 room, a cart full of boxes behind them marked with red X's and blue swirls with black boxes around them. "Spine?" Paige asked innocently while Bri eyes at the boxes.  
  
"Ya know, these are marked both deadly and Walter Manor property. Shouldn't we be giving these to Peter?" Bri asked.  
  
"We got instructions to deliver them to Spine and since he wasn't in the H.O.W., this is our best bet."  
  
"Instructions from who, again?  
  
"Thomas." Bri stared at her. "Bangalter."  
  
"So you're telling me Daft Punk works for the Walter Incorporation?"  
  
"Guy seems more noticeable around here, I think. He's pretty high head with Peter and Mr. Five."  
  
Bri brushed it off and looked back at the boxes. "So, what's in here, anyways?"  
  
"I dunno," Paige responded. They gave each other a look, then opened up the boxes. "Scraps?"  
  
"No, parts," Bri corrected as she pulled out a face plate. "He's cute." Paige pulled out the hair cap and laughed.  
  
"Or she..." she said, flopping it down. "Hey, Spine's been under a lot of stress recently with everyone not liking the wife, right? Why not build this guy for him so he doesn't have to worry about it?" Her bubbly and shy voice got Bri thinking. Maybe... maybe...  
  
"Let's do this," Bri said over confidently. Chelsea looked out from her room and watched them close the box, then stood in the hall.  
  
"What are you going?"  
  
"Nothing," the girls said in unison. She glared at them and then went back to organizing her dresser drawer. When she finished placing Sam's boxers perfectly squared with her won, she looked back and saw them not here, instead a note on Spine's door.  
  
"We saw those boxes and as a wedding present from your girls we decided to make it for you! With lots of love and many kisses, Paige and Brianna~" it read.  
  
"Wonderful," Chelsea huffed. "More for Spine to be mad about..."  
  
=  
  
Orth looked into the small pastry dish of lava-light bugs Chet had pulled from Pine's head. He ran over the names in his head, having Chet finally explain to him why everyone had four letter names and Grimm didn't. He understood and felt no different other than embarrassed.  
  
"Last one," she smiled, putting the bug in the dish and having Orth shut it. He played with the dish while Chet fixed up Pine's head and had the spirits bring his body back in. She fixed his fedora back upon his head and set him back up, powering him up. His eyes were bright green when he sat up and let his spine protrude.  
  
"My love," Chet purred happily once he turned around and took her hands. Orth set the dish down and took Chet's goggles off and looked away while the couple kissed passionately.  
  
"Can we go now?" he asked.  
  
"Not any time soon, the darkness shrouded. "My servants need a talk..."


	68. Junior, Rabbit tells her story, Carol and Emmeline arrive home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I gotta tell you, this chapter brings in a famous Steampunk persona, and his part in the story is one of my favorite things I have EVER written.

"Oh, look at this part, Bri!"  
  
"Oh my gosh, that's adorable!"  
  
The two Walter Girls had become thoroughly absorbed in their work, once they had discovered the parts were smaller... not quite child sized, but certainly more dainty than The Spine, or even Hatchet.  
  
"He's such a little cutie!" said Paige.  
  
"You sure it's a boy?" asked Bri, looking at the slim figure coming together on the work table.  
  
Paige held a chest plate up in front of her dress, grinning. "Unless it's a trans robot, which makes no sense at all... You'd just switch out the hardware after all."  
  
"Good point. But he's so skinny!"  
  
"Like a teenager! Look at him, he's totally a teenager..."  
  
"Hey, this one has clothes... Aw, look..." Bri reached into a box.  
  
They said as one, "Red high tops!"  
  
\----------  
  
"Alrighty," said Peter, swinging around the corner. He stopped short. "Matt? Where's Mike?"  
  
"He said he needed a break from crazy lady bots..." he said, scowling.  
  
"Oh..." Meaning Jingle. Crap. "You seem worried. Are you up to this?"  
  
"Just get it over with. I can hold her if she freaks out."  
  
Peter didn't doubt it. He looked as though he was hoping Rabbit would put up a fight, just so he could have someone to wrestle. "Should I call Steve?"  
  
"Sure, call him, do what you want, why stop now?"  
  
"Look..."  
  
"You want my help or not?"  
  
"Hey, I'm sorry you've had a crappy day, but don't take it out on me!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Peter shrugged and switched Rabbit on. After a few minutes warming up, her eye shutters flew open.  
  
"Monster! He's a monster!" she cried, flailing. Matt caught her quickly, staggering for a moment, before she calmed down and looked around her.  
  
"Oh, hi," she said sociably.  
  
"Um... hi, Rabbit."  
  
"How ya doin'?"  
  
"I'm fine, Rabbit. How are you doing?"  
  
"Can't complain."  
  
"Really. Nothing bothering you? No terrible experience to relate? No traumatic event to share, get off your chest?"  
  
"Uhhh..."  
  
"Rabbit?"  
  
"Yeah?" She smiled pleasantly.  
  
"You said something about a monster when you came out of stasis."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Rabbit, was there something on your mind?"  
  
"Yeah. I was just mindin' my own b-b-b-business and I went into tha HoW and The Spine, he just went FWOOMP and there he was and I couldn't believe it because Peter!"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Peter, The Spine's eyes were all black like on the internet and he was covered in blood and he had a scythe and I was really scared and freaked out and ran out screamin' because I didn't like the look of that, baby! No sirree and I went ta P-P-Pappy's old study because I feel s-safe there and I found one of my old hats and I wanna cut earholes in it only right then I was too scared so I was singin' some old vaudeville stuff because it reminds me of Pappy and heeeey..."  
  
"What?" Peter cried, feeling rather out of breath.  
  
"YOU sound just like Pappy! Did you know? And so then stuff happened and now I'm here. And I didn't imagine it okay so something weird is going on with The Spine and you'd better figure out what because I don't wanna, so can I go out and play now?"  
  
"I wish you would..."  
  
Matt let go and Rabbit trotted from the room. He chuckled, to Peter's relief. "Well, that went well. So... The Spine had a scythe? What do you make of that?"  
  
"I don't want to make anything of it..." He sank into a chair.  
  
"But doesn't that mean..."  
  
"If you were going to say that The Spine has turned into... no, it's just not right. Can you imagine him at a convention? Morning panels? Sorry, The Spine can't come, he's got to harvest a soul. Oh, those aren't the wails of the d@mned, miss, that's just feedback from his remote mic... Blood? No, we use an obscure brand of hydraulic fluid..."  
  
"That's pretty good."  
  
Matt was suddenly calm and friendly. Of course. Nothing was more calming than seeing someone else going over the edge...  
  
Peter hung his head and groaned. "Of all the things that have happened around here lately... pregnancies, weddings, funerals... One of the original Walter automatons turning into... ugh. My dad's gonna kill me."  
  
\----------  
  
"Bloch! Boyle! Wake up, darlings! Mummy's home!"  
  
There was a whirring sound from two identical tubes as the automatons came to life.  
  
"How long were you gone, Mummy?" asked the one made almost completely of ovals.  
  
"A week, love. I have a lot to tell you two..."  
  
"I'm stuck, Mum..." intoned the large iron robot beside him.  
  
"Oh, Bloch... we must get that chamber adjusted. I wonder whether Steven can budge that clamp... well, if we find the time. He already has a job and when he's here I won't be interested in DIY projects..."  
  
"Mum!" groaned Bloch.  
  
"Who's Steven?" Boyle asked suspiciously.  
  
"Her fiance." Emmeline stepped, dropping the luggage at his feet. "Make yourself useful, then..."  
  
Dr. Lennox put one hand over her eyes. "Emmeline... why..."  
  
Bloch and Boyle stared at her.  
  
"Oh, for... Boyle, get your brother out of the docking station. We'll talk in the study in five." She hurried out.  
  
Emmeline slipped into the radio room for once voluntarily. She found her new kitten there, still working on the bag full of cat food she had left it. The sandbox was clean. The radio room wasn't.  
  
"Oh, bloody... that's right, you have to train them... At least she still has water. I think it's a she..."  
  
She scooped it up to look.  
  
"You can't sodding tell with a cat, can you? Ugh."  
  
She cleaned the cat poo and checked the radio, eager to avoid the scene as her mum told her brothers they were going to have a short, slightly hairy papa with the ability to breathe fire.  
  
"Hello?" she murmured in her best Cate Blanchett.  
  
"Hello? Jolly good, I've been trying to contact you for days, Carol..."  
  
Oh, bloody he!!, it was _him!_  
  
"Carol is not in right now. If you'd like to leave a message..."  
  
"Yes, she jolly well is, young lady! You went with her, so don't you try and suggest she's not there. Haha, got you there, eh?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Charles, quick witted as ever."  
  
"Don't you forget it. I didn't solve The Case of the Elementary Penguin by sliding around on my-"  
  
"Emmeline? They took it rather well, I thought... Oh, is there a call?"  
  
Emmeline gave up waving her arms trying to stop Dr. Lennox from giving herself away and held out the headset.  
  
"Is that the melodious voice of the brilliant and voluptuous Dr. Carol Lennox I hear, Miss Emmeline?"  
  
"Yes, it's the bloody voice of the bleedin' Carol Lennox..."  
  
"Emmeline!" Dr. Lennox cried, shocked.  
  
"I tried to warn you!" hissed Emmeline, transferring the call to the headset.  
  
"Oh, no..."  
  
"Carol! Darling! I've been desolate without you! Have you considered my offer, then?"  
  
"Charles... well, no, I believe I'd said I''d accept it when pigs had wings..."  
  
"And I have been in my laboratory ever since fulfilling your wish, my darling. I found a little surgery was required but it's going quite well, really..."  
  
Dr. Lennox gasped.  
  
"So once we have the little porkers trotting around off of life support I'll be heading straight over with a nosegay and Mummy's old engagement ring... I mean, her heirloom diamond cluster, yes..."  
  
"Charles... Do you have no understanding of colloquialisms?"  
  
"I... certainly... they're delicious on muffins... Bit hard to find, though, but with my connections..."  
  
"Charles! I am engaged to someone else!"  
  
This finally cut through the fog of self-importance. "Oh... I see... I... I'm terribly sorry, I hadn't realized... Guess I can unplug the pigs, then..."  
  
"That might be the merciful thing to do..." she said, feeling sick.  
  
"Yes, well. I wish you happiness and offer you my congratulations..."  
  
"Oh, Charles, bless your heart, love... we wouldn't have made a match, now, would we? I'm so plump..."  
  
"That was actually one of the attractions, Carol..."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"I won't bother you any further... but... could I at least know the name of the man who has bested me on the field on romance?"  
  
"Well, it's Steve Negrete."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Steve..."  
  
"Steve Negrete."  
  
"Steve bloody Negrete? That fellow from California?"  
  
"Now don't be like that!"  
  
"That little sod who looks like a bloody movie pirate?"  
  
"Charles, really! I happen to love him!"  
  
"We got on so well last summer! How could he do this to me?"  
  
"He didn't know!"  
  
"You didn't tell him about us?"  
  
"There was no us, you maniac! There never was!"  
  
"Oh, that's fine talk, isn't it? So you like American pirates now..."  
  
"Yes, I bloody do! So you can go back your lab and kiss your bloody pigs... Professor... if that's what you really are..."  
  
"I taught Mad Science 101 for three years at an eminent adult education center in London, I'll have you know!"  
  
"Oh, fine, Professor Elemental! You can go right back to it as far as I'm concerned! Take the pigs with you! Emmeline! Cut him off!"  
  
"Carol, so help me I won't let this slide! You're blinded by lust and those winsome biceps! I shall save you from yourself..."  
  
Emmeline, laughing like a mad thing, pulled the plug.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Professor Elemental is the creation of Paul Alborough.


	69. It's a boy (trust us), Bad News - NinjaPastry

Blushing, Paige ran out of the workshop and hid her face, giggling wildly. "Oh my God!" Bri screamed. Paige burst into laughter and Bri ran out, making a very concerned face. "Was that-"  
  
"Yeah," Miss Paige nodded.  
  
"But i thought-"  
  
"Yep!" she laughed. "Robot's got'em, too!"  
  
"Dear Lord that's disgusting!" Bri cried. "Isn't that Bunny's forte?"  
  
"I think so, and speaking of... Bunny!" Paige yelled. Mistress Bunny walked past the entrance to the hallway but took a step back when the ex called for her.  
  
"Yes?" she replied. Paige ran towards her, Bri deciding to follow with a grimace upon her wildly blushing blue face. Paige giggled and looked back at the workshop.  
  
"We've run into a bit of a situation regarding parts for a build... We think maybe you could help." She could barely hold herself together and cracked under the pressure, laughing hysterically. Bunny looked to the pretty girls oddly and huffed, walking past them. When she walked into the workshop, Paige and Bri back at the doorway, she started laughing.  
  
"And who is this for?" she asked.  
  
"Spine, we think," Bri answered.  
  
"That 'bot has a twisted mind," she laughed as she pulled her goggles over her eyes, grabbing the soldering gun and getting to work.  
  
Bri and Paige snickered and Paige chirped over the sound of melting metal "He's pretty big for such a small structure.."  
  
=  
  
Hatchworth felt like he was falling when he woke up on the floor of Spine and Hatchet's new bedroom, seeing the hammock, the red chair, and the wall corner decorated with weaponry. He called out their names, then stood and walked out of the room.  
  
He ventured towards the infirmary, then headed towards the living quarters for the higher heads, then saw Carolina. He waved, she waved then they walked on without a word. Everything looked different when he walked past her, though. There were red lights flickering in his eyes around her body, making him uneasy.  
  
He looked back at her once she turned the corner and sighed, wanting to say something but knowing she'll never look at him the same way again. With a huff of smoke he walked onward and down to the kitchen to see the workers at work, a little worried feeling around the place about Leo, he guessed.  
  
A worker busted through the door, a worker with white eyes and blood running from her mouth. "Guys!" she yelled. "Leo's dead!" Th whole kitchen went silent. One worker, a child by the name of Paul and his little sister Lizzie, looked strangely at her.  
  
"Who did you feast on?" Paul asked. She wiped her mouth and smacked the top of his head and he hissed at her. Vampires, Hatchworth thought.  
  
"Leo?" the workers all whispered to each other. "Shot in the back of the head this morning at Camp Pendleton," Pruitt explained. "Miss-fire on a truck..."  
  
"Get Hatchet," someone shouted in the back of the kitchen. "She knows the laws and can save him, right?"  
  
"We need him here," another yelled. "He can't be the one dead or undead of us," another joined.  
  
Hatchworth looked around and pouted, then ran out. He knew exactly what to do. He ran back to the Walter room and drew the oval on the brick, the knob, knocked, then fell through. He landed on the floor of the room he was in before, the strange hall, then struggled his way through spirit blockades to the workshop.  
  
"Hatchet? Spine?" he called. "Anyone?"  
  



	70. Steve's lonely but company is coming, and he's royally pissed off, Bad news reaches Carolina - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, it's really fun writing about Professor Elemental.

"Carol? Hey! I just wanted to make sure you got back safely!"  
  
Carolina smiled and opened another letter. She'd fallen behind in the correspondence lately and was fighting the urge to ask Steve to burn it all.  
  
Sam trotted in. "Telegram," he said with a lopsided smirk.  
  
She stared at him. "Seriously? Can you still send those?"  
  
"This guy did. It's for Steve!"  
  
"I don't know why I should be surprised at anything anymore."  
  
"Great! I can't wait to see you again..." Steve said loudly.  
  
"Why do people always yell when they're on the phone?" asked Sam.  
  
"Latent caveman behavior."  
  
"They are?" he bellowed. "Well, it's gonna be interesting to meet them. Do they look like kids too?"  
  
"Carol's sons," Carolina explained to Sam.  
  
"Sons?"  
  
"Like Emmy."  
  
"Oh!" he said, comprehending.  
  
"How tall did you say he is? That's taller than The Spine! Why did you make him that big? Oh... yeah, I can never reach the top shelf either."  
  
Carolina giggled and Steve winked at her swiftly before turning away to say, "Alright... yeah, get some rest. I'll e-mail you about the arrangements. Yeah, I love you, too..."  
  
Carolina and Sam grinned at each other.  
  
"Bye..." he said faintly. He clicked off his phone and sat down on the arm of the couch, staring at the floor.  
  
"Steve?"  
  
He sighed. "I miss her so much..."  
  
"She's only been gone twelve hours!" Sam exclaimed.  
  
"Shut up, Sam," the sound engineer said mildly. "Give me something to do, Carolina."  
  
"Well, there's a telegram for you."  
  
"What? How is that even possible?" He got up and took the little paper, tore it open and read it. He snorted with laughter. "It's from Professor Elemental! But... he must have lost his mind!"  
  
"Well, in all fairness, he was always a little... y'know... eeee..." said Sam.  
  
"Yeah... but now he's saying I stole his woman!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah, he says I seduced her with my winsome biceps? Who says stuff like that? My arms aren't that great."  
  
"Uh..." Carolina said hesitantly. She'd found his biceps to be a particularly pleasing place to rest her eyes on more than one occasion. Now she wondered whether he even had to work to get them that way... She shrugged. "So what's he gonna do about it?"  
  
"He wants to fight me?" Steve groaned, rereading the message. "I'll have to talk to him..."  
  
"Sounds like he's past that point," Sam said with a giggle. "Better start working out, Steve."  
  
"Sam..." Carolina said, shaking her head.  
  
"It's not like she's gonna marry the winner, for crying out loud. Well, I mean, she wouldn't marry the winner just because he was the winner."  
  
"You sound pretty confident, Steve," Sam teased.  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"Maybe he has muscles hidden under all that khaki or he knows kung fu."  
  
"Sam," Carolina said calmly. "You can take my word for it that Professor Elemental wouldn't win. Trust me on this."  
  
"Unless I let him. Y'know, give him satisfaction, let Carol tell him she's still not gonna marry him, at least he has his honor."  
  
"What are you, a Klingon? Besides, that the most sit-com thing you've ever said in your life. And maybe he isn't counting on winning her love, anyway," Sam said.  
  
"What do you think he's trying to accomplish, then?"  
  
"Maybe he just wants to kill you."  
  
"Pretty stupid way to do it, then!"  
  
Sam shrugged.  
  
"Calm down, Steve..." Carolina said. "I'll get Peter to talk to him, scientist to scientist..."  
  
"Scientist..." snorted Steve. "He's a rap musician with an inheritance, a laboratory, and too much time."  
  
"Don't be petty. The Cavalcadium granted him membership."  
  
"Yeah, after his donation to the Displaced Automatons Foundation! And after he submitted to a lengthy and gruesome hazing ritual..."  
  
"Sam, the Cavalcadium doesn't do hazings."  
  
Sam raised his eyebrows and put his finger on his nose. "And Mr. Wizard fell for it."  
  
Carolina rolled her eyes. "Were you involved in any way, Sam?"  
  
"For your protection, I'm going to say no. In addition, I would like to point out that David, Bunny, Guy, Poplock Holmes, Geoffrey the Monkey Butler and the League of Steam were nowhere in evidence or in any way involved, nor were any of their interesting tools of the trade."  
  
"I have the deepest feeling of disappointment right now..."  
  
"Leo told us some helpful stories but he wouldn't join us. Does that make you feel any better?"  
  
"A little..."  
  
The phone rang. "Hello? There's a what?" Carolina cried. "Coming!"  
  
She clicked off the phone and said, "There's an airship hovering over the Manor!"  
  
As they ran out after her, Sam said, "What's the big deal? We work for Steampunk nerds, there's balloons around here all the time."  
  
"This is some kind of fancy zeppelin and it got here through an interdimensional portal!"  
  
"Oh. Yeah, that's a big deal. How can anyone open a portal that size, in mid air?"  
  
"They can but they shouldn't! It's very unstable!"  
  
"Unstable..." Steve said, jogging easily beside her. "I think I know who it is."  
  
By the time they got outside, the airship had lowered a ladder and a skinny form was making his way down it.  
  
"Yeah. It's Charles."  
  
"Steve Negrete!" roared Professor Elemental. "I demand satisfaction!"  
  
"Good for you!" called Steve. "But I don't think you're likely to get it."  
  
"Don't trifle with me, boy! I was trouncing bounders like you when your mum was still thinking up names weasely enough to suit you!"  
  
"Yeah, in your kindergarten!"  
  
"How old are you, really?" Carolina whispered.  
  
"You know, right?" She nodded. "One hundred ninety."  
  
"Dang, Steve..."  
  
Professor Elemental was trying to get down from the ladder but it was swinging wildly and his thrashing and shouting weren't helping. They could catch snatches of his ranting as he swung and twirled to and fro.  
  
"Mad with lust... Bloody little pint-sized pirate... seduced her, I say! ...So help me I'll... four o'clock tea... with neither grace nor gravy! Sod it all!"  
  
A fleet of Walter workers, having universally chosen to just let him whip around in the wind until he behaved himself, reluctantly caught the ladder on Peter's orders and helped him down.  
  
"Now, Charles, what's this all about? You show up here in that thing tearing a terrifyingly huge hole in space-time..."  
  
"No hole is big enough to contain my rage. That bloody little traitor has seduced the love of my life!"  
  
"Steve? He can't seduce a golden plump chicken. If you're speaking of Professor..."  
  
"Doctor."  
  
"Carolina. So, if it's Dr. Lennox you mean, they hit it off, that's all. It happens, Charles. What happened to "keep calm and carry on" and "stiff upper lip" and all that sort of thing?"  
  
"That's all very well to say, but when your bird is nicked by one of your mates then it's time for a barney!"  
  
"That's the most British sentence I've ever heard in my life," said Sam.  
  
"Charles, come on! I don't want to fight you..." Steve said soothingly.  
  
Professor Elemental punched him in the mouth. Everyone gasped. The air seemed to grow very still. Carolina realized she was holding her breath. She glanced at Sam, who had an eager little grin on his face. Carolina pushed his shoulder and he abruptly tried to look worried.  
  
Steve folded his arms and shook his head as Professor Elemental trembled in front of him... not with rage...  
  
"Charles," he sighed.  
  
"You've got a jaw like a block of bloody granite..." he gasped, his eyes watering.  
  
"Come on inside, we'll get you some ice and talk it over, okay?" Steve said gently. Bunny hurried alongside to help.  
  
"You think he'll be okay?" Carolina asked Peter as he strolled up, shaking his head.  
  
"Did you forget when he fell in love with Upgrade? And that one cosplayer who turned out to be a man... he wasn't even gay, so it wasn't like he was interested... he just wanted to cosplay as Elvira..."  
  
"How can a man do that? She has cleavage down to her belly button!" Sam said.  
  
"He was very inventive. Anyway, Charles will get over it. Now I have to go figure out where three robots have disappeared to... well, two, anyway. The third is on her own. Excuse me." He followed them inside.  
  
"That's very comforting!" called Carolina. "But I was talking about his hand!"  
  
\----------  
  
Professor Elemental was put to bed as soon as Bunny had fashioned a strap-on ice pack... it turned out he hadn't slept in a few days. Apparently he'd been absorbed in some experiment involving pigs...  
  
Carolina returned to her correspondence, and Sam to Chelsea, who had favored him with a not so sly wink out on the lawn. Carolina didn't want to think about it.  
  
Her phone was flashing a message alert. She checked the voicemail absently as she settled back into her seat.  
  
The phone slipped to the floor. The world seemed to have gone cold and still all of a sudden. She heard footsteps but it was as if they were coming from a long way off. Peter walked into the office.  
  
"I think they might be..." He stopped. "Carolina? Why are you crying?"  
  
She couldn't say it. She picked up the phone and handed it to him before putting her hands over her face and trying to regain some control.  
  
He put it on speakerphone, to her dismay... Touchscreen phones gave him trouble with his mask.  
  
"If you would like to repeat this message, press five." Beep! "Hello, Miss Carolina, I tried to get someone on the house phone but no one is picking up. Leo is back in intensive care and we've been told that he hasn't been living at the Manor since his release but I thought you would like to know that he is in critical condition right now. There was a terrible accident back at the base, gun misfire, and I'm so sorry but he isn't expected to regain consciousness. I hate to have to tell you this in a voicemail but there isn't much time and Peter A Walter VI is listed as his legal guardian..."  
  
Peter clicked off the phone. "Alright..." he said, unnervingly calm. "I..." He swallowed, hard. "I think you'd better drive..."  
  
"I can't..." she whispered.  
  
"Are you coming, at least?"  
  
She nodded. "Alright, we'll ask Chelsea..."  
  
"She's busy..." Carolina whispered.  
  
"Oh... Oh! Dang it... I get that they want to do it but why do we always have to know..."  
  
"Bunny..."  
  
"Yeah, alright. Bunny."  
  



	71. A difficult adjustment, Dying, They grow up so fast! - NinjaPastry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The birth of a fanbot... NinjaPastry told me that Admin Jon has a Scottish accent, and his mother sounds English... a quirk of Grimm's. He likes to throw random accents on his employees. The Spine will be getting one later. I like to "hear" the accents when I read things so I thought others might appreciate the info.

"in...e....Sp...ne.... Spnie...? Spine!" Hatchet's voice rang in his head. He sat up alertly and stared at her, panting. Where was Grimm? Hatchworth? Where were they?  
  
"Hatchet?"  
  
"Spine, calm down love... Everything's alright now." She smiled sweetly at him, her teal eyes flickering under the hood over her face. "I'm not here to anyone, so act like it. You're in the library. Hatchworth is back in his room."  
  
"What happened to him," Spine whispered.  
  
"He fell through the portal looking for us."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Leo's dying. Again..." It sounded like it hurt her to say that and he sighed, tearing up.  
  
"Well, what did Grimm want to tell us?"  
  
"He said nothing more than 'feast' and 'die'," she replied. He sat up all the way and looked about the shelves in the path they had fallen into. "He's making your list for testing you, though, so prepare yourself for the worst. Keep in mind my 'test' was Pappy."  
  
"Wonderful," Spine sighed. He looked to his hands and rolled up a sleeve, seeing the blue matter bleeding out. Before his eyes he watched the glowing blue liquid sizzle and boil upon his metal, turning black and burn into his metal. Instantly he felt the pain and yelled out, grabbing the spot where it hurt the most.  
  
"Breathe," Hatchet whispered, putting her hands upon his arm. "Just breathe..." She moved his hands out of the way and stopped the pain by pressing on it, making him sigh with relief. "You need to let it happen. It hurts, but so will so many other things," she laughed. They looked to the door of the library as Gabi walked in with David walking in behind her.  
  
"This place is amazing," she smiled. "It's massive!"  
  
"This is nothing," he laughed. "If anything it's a cheap shot of one. This is where all the books in the manor get put after they've been read too nay times. All of Rabbit's books get their own shelf, same for all the bots." His voice was hoarse and he coughed momentarily before Gabi turned to look at him.  
  
"Where are all of your books, then?"  
  
"Um..." thinking thinking... "I think over here," he said,. He led her to the shelf where Spine was sitting, Hatchet standing up and watching them in the moonlit darkness of the library. David glanced down to see what his foot hit and saw the faint glare of Spine's eyes focused on the window. Well, to David it seemed that way. He was really looking at his wife, but she was hidden from any sight.  
  
David sighed and tried his best to hold his cough, then kicked Spine's leg again. "Hey, what are you doing in here?" Spine looked to him and David noticed the very dim light of Spine's eyes, the dark swirls surrounding them. His face was just beaten and dark all together, scaring him. "Um, Spine?" Are you alright?"  
  
"No," he whimpered. "Not at all," he said. Hatchet smiled and patted his shoulder, telling him he did a good job of saying what she told him to say. "Could you get me to my room, please? Or the HoW?"  
  
David and Gabi exchanged worried looks and he nodded, helping Spine to his feet.  
  
=  
  
Lisa sat next to Leo, drawing his profile with the breathing equipment and everything along with it. Lisa, the nurse from before, was quite interested in this young man. A fifteen year old boy, an orphan, a colonel, a licensed physician, psychologist, and a doctorate in medicine, a spiritual medium, and so many bullet woulds and army tattoos it was unbelievable such a boy could exist.  
  
Not to mention his body build: so strong and confident. But there were so many scars, such as the one that took his ear and side of his face up quite swimmingly. The scar down his nose, the one on his eyebrow, the millions on his back and chest, and the ones sprinkled about on his legs.  
  
Years of cutting himself on barbed wire and being pushed around at school as a kid was hard on his body, but here was him now, laying in the ICU with his machines hooked back into him and everything. The tubes down his windpipe to move air in and out of his lungs for him, the morphine in his veins, the fluids being pumped into him...  
  
It was a sad sight and it was even sadder to see the men in uniform at the window to try and see him, pray beside him, ask for forgiveness for shooting him on accident, but weren't allowed to. Lisa sat there and dragged her pencil across her paper, shading the circles under his eyes in. At least this time around he didn't look like a ghost with blue lips.  
  
"You look sad," she said to him. He wasn't sleeping, just barely awake and looking around the room. "Would you like something to eat?"  
  
He tapped his finger once. No. She nodded and continued to sketch, then looked back up at him. "How about something to drink?" One tap. No. "A story?" One. "Something?" One. "Okay then, Mr. Downer."  
  
Someone rapped upon the glass and Lisa looked back, seeing A white woman with black hair and blue lips. Someone from his home, Lisa assumed. Then she was joined by a very upset lady with pigtails and a man with a wooden mask.  
  
Lisa stood and walked to the door, letting them in. "Mr. Walter?" she asked. The man in the mask nodded and shook her hand. Bunny lead Carolina to him and she sat in Lisa's seat, taking Leo's hand in hers. "Thank you for coming," Lisa said. "He needs some company for a while other than me. I swear he's gotten tired of my asking if he needs things."  
  
"Can you hear me?" Carolina asked. Leo tapped his thumb slowly upon her hand twice and she smiled.  
  
"Two taps means yes, one means no," Lisa notified the three.  
  
"Leo," Carolina started, "I'm sorry this had to happen to you," she said. She ran her fingers over his breathing machine sitting upon his chest and then wiped her tears from her face. "I came here to make sure you're alright/ Are you? Are you going to be alright?"  
  
One. She gasped and Bunny put a hand to her shoulder. Peter walked over and sighed. "Boy, you are one hellofa fighter. Don't give up now, got it? Giving up never leads to anything good." Bunny nodded in agreement and Carolina sniffled.  
  
"Um," Carolina sighed, looked back to Bunny and Peter. "Could I have some alone time with him, please?" They looked to Lisa and she opened the door, then nodded and smiled at her. The three left, leaving Carolina and Leo to the soothing shushing of the machines.  
  
"Leo," she sighed, shaking, "I... I know I've said it before and I know it won't work and ho it all feels so... just wrong, but..." She took a deep breath in and let it out after a second, her stomach knotting. "I just.. I need to ask you something, okay? Do you love me?"  
  
If there was a heart monitor in sight she would see it beep and run faster, for that's exactly what was going on. His heart raced and his face went a bit red, making her wonder what was happening. She waited for a tap, one, maybe two if- tap.....tap. She smiled and began to cry again, putting her head upon his shoulder.  
  
Suddenly something tapped her shoulder and when she sat up and looked, no one was there. "He needs you to do something for him," a voice said within her head. "And don't make this harder than it needs to be..."  
  
What? she thought. What could be worse than this?  
  
"leave," it said to her. "Let him go."  
  
She stood, kissed his forehead and turned to walk out before he grabbed her skirt and pulled her back a bit. She turned and looked at with teary eyes, feeling like a drama queen in a movie when the music gets really sad and makes you hold your breath, wondering what's going to happen next.  
  
She walked over to him and sat back down, grabbing his hand again. He took out the tube and set the thing aside, gasping a little. he weakly smiled and she gasped, about to grab it before she realized what eh was doing.  
  
"A kiss?" she asked in awe. Tap tap, she felt. She gladly did, kissing him right on the lips of what she dreaded was the last time. she let off and he put the tube back in, shutting his eyes and falling back asleep.  
  
"I... I love you,too..."  
  
=  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Well then..."  
  
"Is this...?"  
  
"Looks sorta like him," Bri laughed a little.  
  
"The Jon?" Paige asked.  
  
Curly, long hair, a nose just like his, slim waist, nice bum, everything looked like Jon except the way he was featured and coloured. Silver and black. There was a beanie on the back of his head (added by Paige), golden metal along his collar bone on his button up shirt that also went down the stretch the sewing for the arm holes.  
  
He had on brown cargo shorts that hung low since Bri couldn't find the belts in the manor, and he wore heavily braced and steel toed boots. The girls stood back and looked at him while he stood against the metal slab they had built him upon, now preparing to power him up.  
  
"Programming?" Bri asked Paige. She nodded and they put their goggles on, Paige walking up to the bot and powering him up. She ran back to Bri's side and they watched as his eyes opened and the oil bled, as they thought, burning into his metal. Everywhere it did that, scaring the girls as to why it was happening. He screamed and his eyes lit up a bright green.  
  
"Not supposed to happen," Paige yelled. He stopped screaming and steamed, putting a hand to his face and feeling the features of his high cheek bones and feeling the chill of the flames of darkness from his vents.  
  
He looked at the two and they stared right back at him. He stood up straight, a towering 6', two inches shorter than his mother and four than his father, then smiled slyly. "Ladies," he said sweetly. They sighed and instantly became trapped in his spell, so to say. His voice was like butter, so smooth and deep like Spine's, and an accent that made Bri want to take him then and there.  
  
"Do you have a name?" Paige asked.  
  
"Admin Jon," he replied. Paige sighed and smiled, then they watched him walk out in hopes of finding his parents.  
  
He walked around for a while, making a map in his head of the whole place, then brushed past someone. He turned and she turned, putting her hood own. "My son?" she asked. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, making her laugh.  
  
"Mummy," he said happily. "Where's Papa?"  
  
"Resting up," she said as they let go. "He's had a tough week getting used tot he whole underworld thing. But it's amazing to see you built and walking around!"  
  
"Me too," he laughed. "I quite like it. Paige and Brianna built me for you and Papa, since you two were busy."  
  
Hatchet sighed and smiled, kissing his forehead. "Well, let's go to your room and get you ll situated and ready for your first name, alright?" she asked him. He nodded and followed her around, happy to be home.  
  



	72. Babysitting a drunk Englishman, Babysitting a sick robot, Dying some more, drunk Englishman reprise - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I messed up here and thought it was Leo's grandpa that worked in Hell, and NinjaPastry didn't mind enough to correct me. Maybe they both work there.
> 
> Small reference to the book Howl's Moving Castle contained within. Just to the book.

"A small bird sat on an ivy bunch... and the song he sang was the pug of... jug of punch... tooloorroodle doodle... bloody he!!... Geoffrey! Geoffrey, bring me more tea!" howled Professor Elemental.  
  
"I think you've had enough," said Sam, gently pushing him back down when he tried to rise.  
  
"Is he calling for that gorilla of his?" asked Chelsea.  
  
"I thought it was an orangutan..."  
  
"It isn't here, is it?"  
  
"Apparently it was piloting the zeppelin. It refused to come down."  
  
"He... He is a he, see here... He is Geoffrey and he's more housebroken than you lot..." slurred the drunken scientist.  
  
"Now the truth comes out..."  
  
"How did he get drunk, Sam?"  
  
"Well, I think he was already pretty hammered when he got here. It would explain how he got the courage to punch Steve. I mean, the guy has biceps as big as this dude's thigh. I can't believe his jaw is hard enough to bruise his hand, though. Nothing broken, but still."  
  
"You took him to the doctor?"  
  
"I just used that old x-ray machine. The guy's in the country illegally..."  
  
"Oops."  
  
"Anyway, he had a flask of what he called tea on him while I did it and by the time he'd emptied it he was high as a kite."  
  
She sighed as the Professor lolled in his bed, singing fitfully and snuffling from time to time. "Poor stupid guy. You think he and Carol really...?"  
  
"No, I don't. Steve already called her. She had been trying to give dummy here the hint but it seems he doesn't do subtlety."  
  
"Oh, boy. So now what?"  
  
"So we wait for Peter. There needs to be another portal to send them back, and he's... busy."  
  
"Oh, yeah. I almost..." Her voice choked off.  
  
"Chels... You okay? C'mere..."  
  
He held her as she murmured, "He's just so young, y'know? I was a little weirded out by Carolina and him... well, nothing happened I heard, but now there won't be a chance. He'll never be old enough..."  
  
"Don't wallow in it, baby. It's sad, yeah. But..."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So... when do you start craving pickles?" he said, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Picklelilly..." mumbled Professor Elemental sleepily.  
  
"Dude, we were lucky to even be able to detect the hormones levels changing. I'm not even due to have morning sickness until a couple of weeks after I miss a period."  
  
"Been reading up, huh?"  
  
"Yup. Because I know jack squat."  
  
He gave her a squeeze. "Can I borrow the book when you're done?"  
  
"They think so much about me, that they always play without me..." sang Professor Elemental.  
  
"Do you ever feel guilty for being so happy while, y'know, all this is going down?"  
  
"No. I feel grateful. And they don't grudge us this, y'know? Because when you're going through crap, sometimes it pisses you off to see someone doing better than you are, but sometimes it gives you hope. Babies usually give people hope..."  
  
Professor Elemental began to snore.  
  
"Finally. Let's go see how everyone is doing, okay?" said Chelsea.  
  
"Alright. Then let's go back to our room. I'm saying we have to do anything... just have some quiet time, y'know?"  
  
"We can start with quiet time. Maybe later... we'll feel a bit more like something less quiet."  
  
"Yeah... maybe. Right now, it just feels... off, doesn't it?"  
  
"No, it sounds great... but I know what you mean."  
  
\----------  
  
"I wish Peter wasn't having to... y'know, deal with Leo... well, I mean, I wish Leo was okay, for crying out loud, but I need Peter here. This is messed up."  
  
The Spine lay in his hammock in the HoW, twitching and murmuring to himself in a strange and sometimes sinister language. The words were rather pretty, but David was almost positive they weren't part of any known language.  
  
Gabi was gently wiping The Spine's face. "It isn't coming off..."  
  
"I know," he said nervously. "I'm calling Bunny."  
  
"Good idea. She always knows what to do."  
  
He smiled and turned away to frown. Bunny always knew what to do? No, but she always thought she did...  
  
"Bunny! Are you on your way back? What?"  
  
"He's dying," Bunny said softly, her voice thick with grief. "That's it... he's just dying. He can't move or speak or breathe on his own, and there's swelling in his brain. He's been passing in and out of consciousness... It just a matter of time now. And Carolina just sits there holding his hand..."  
  
"Oh, no..."  
  
"Could you tell the workers?"  
  
"Alright..." he sighed. "Yeah, I'll let everyone know."  
  
"Any sign of Hatchworth and the others?"  
  
"Yeah, that's why I called you. Gabi and I found The Spine in the library..."  
  
"You dumbhead! Get back in your bed!"  
  
"I'm bored! Even with Gabi there, I'm tired of seeing that room all day!"  
  
"Oh, yeah, Gabi... Alright stay out of bed, then."  
  
He snorted, which made him cough. "Look, we just met, I'm not planning to..." He glanced at Gabi. "Just shut up, okay?" he whispered.  
  
"Get some rest. I'll be back soon with Peter. Carolina is staying."  
  
"Alright." He clicked off the phone. "I didn't get the chance to tell her about The Spine... but she's coming back soon with Peter, so we can tell them then."  
  
"He seems feverish. Should a robot be able to be feverish?"  
  
David reached toward The Spine. "No, he's usually giving off that much heat. But this whole muttering thing gives me the willies..."  
  
\----------  
  
"Ardo... at last."  
  
"Don't count on me just yet."  
  
"I think I can, really. I hear you keep disappearing and reappearing here."  
  
"I'd noticed."  
  
"You don't have to sound so sullen. You see that your grandfather has a good position here... I could find a suitable job for you as well..."  
  
"Two weeks ago that would have been less loathsome of an offer."  
  
"Ah, but now you have feelings for Lina? A worthy mate, though of course she would never submit to your adolescent demonstrations."  
  
Ardo glared. Grimm chuckled.  
  
"You take offense. You have experience in life with almost everything..."  
  
"I know about women..."  
  
"Knowing is not the same as... well, never mind. I am not attacking your manly prowess but referring to Lina's own scruples. Her integrity allowed her to kiss your virginal lips but would never let her christen any other part of you. Why mourn what you can't have?"  
  
"I could have... in a few years, once I'm of legal age. But I wasn't thinking of that."  
  
"The blazes you weren't," snorted Grimm.  
  
"It goes deeper. What we have would have been enough until then. Now she's going to hurt..."  
  
"She will. But not as long as you think..."  
  
Ardo could feel himself drifting with difficulty back to consciousness. "What do you mean?"  
  
"It is said when God closes a door, he opens a window."  
  
"You believe in God?"  
  
"I'm the animate personification of Death. I believe in everything."  
  
"Leo..." he heard Carolina murmur.  
  
"Go on. Go back," Grimm said casually. "They won't have you for long. This is almost the last time."  
  
\----------  
  
"Well, we aren't sending him back like that!" Peter cried. "He's stewed to the eyebrows!"  
  
He and Bunny had come down to look at the sloppy figure of Professor Elemental as soon as they arrived.  
  
"The chief problem is that airship, though. I'm not sending him back from California to England, and opening a portal that size is suicidally dangerous. You'd have to be drunk or a monkey to think it was a good idea."  
  
"That explains it," Bunny said.  
  
"Well, since he can't be dealt with, I guess it's time to check on The Spine..."  
  
"You up to it?"  
  
"No one is. But I have to do it anyway. By the way, what about Hatchworth?"  
  
"Didn't you see him on the way in?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"He and Rabbit were heading outside together."  
  
They stared at each other.  
  
"I'll go stop them," she said, running out.  
  
"Thank you," he said wearily, and headed for the HoW.  
  
"Biscuits..." murmured Professor Elemental.  
  



	73. The new kid settles in, Jingle prepares for school - NinjaPastry

Hatchet peered into the Walter^2 room and sighed, Admin Jon slipping past unnoticed by David and the jackalope lady. See saw The Spine and put a hand to Admin's shoulder, then walked in. She jumped slightly from the ground and made just the right move at the right second to get her boosters to activate which were just as quiet as Janelle's engine.  
  
She flew over Spine and put a hand to the side of his face, looking down at him worriedly. He opened his eyes and grabbed her, pulling her down. In the second he pulled off her hood showing her to David and Gabi. They jumped and David nearly tipped back his chair he dragged in.  
  
Spine growled as he wrapped his rm around Hatchet's waist and pinned her against him, smiling up at her. She was confused, then smiled back. That smile wasn't a "planning to kill you" smile, but a genuine Spine smile. If anything it was a goofy smile she loved.  
  
Admin rolled his eyes and walked in, David gasping and ending up coughing a while.  
  
"Who are you?" David managed to ask the boy.  
  
"Their son," he said simply, tapping his mother's foot. "Mummy, let's go. You two can mate later. I want to see my room."  
  
"David can take you," she hummed. Gabi looked away and David blushed as they started making out, forgetting the world around them.  
  
"Let's go," he grinned. He stood and Gab followed, dragging their chairs out of the room and shutting the door. Two steps away David heard it lock, Admin just shaking his head.  
  
Admin walked into an open doorway and saw another, smaller, hammock and smiled. "I think this is it."  
  
"How do robots even get accents? British, Scottish... Wh- How did you get a Scottish from a Brit and an American?" David rambled. Admin only shrugged and jumped into his hammock, swinging and kicking his feet. his arms in the air. "That's adorable," David pointed out. He looked to Gabi and saw her smiling sweetly at him all dreamy eyed and everything.  
  
David looked to Admin who was just sitting up and walking to his closet, then saw Gabi again. She sighed and tilted her head a bit, making him a bit mad. He pulled her away from the doorway to not see him and glared at her.  
  
"I'm telling Peter everything now."  
  
"It's nearly 11 at night, though," she said sadly. "Can I just see him for three more minutes?"  
  
"No you may not see him for three more minutes, Gabi," David sighed. It was like pulling away a puppy dog from a butterfly: both sad but necessary. David pressed in his comms and looked about, waiting for the signal to pick up. Nothing.  
  
"C'mon," he said to her. "We're going downstairs to pick up signal." She nodded and followed him down the stairs and into one of the living rooms, finding Michael laying on the couch watching Kitchen Nightmares. Gordon pulled out the two day old fried chicken and saw it all glued together with melted fat and Michael cringed, making David and Gabi gag.  
  
David and Gabi walked from that mess into the next room, an old storage room, and David pressed the little piece in his ear. "Peter?"  
  
"Awake," he replied somberly.  
  
"Um... Where do I even begin..."  
  
"Coming to my office, most likely."  
  
"Sounds like a good idea," he huffed. "I'll be there after a while." He turned to tell Gabi and saw her watching tele with Michael, then noticed she was asleep in the chair. He sighed and left her there, walking away from the rooms.  
  
He wiped the tired from his eyes and walked into Peter's office to find him face-down on the desk, snoring. "Yeah... bedtime..."  
  
=  
  
"I.. start when?"  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
"Do I have everything?"  
  
"I'm pretty sure. Books, notebooks, pencils, pens, colors, um..." Matt picked out the things he was listing off and grabbed a button with a 5 on it. "Speed Racer things, and... erasers, highlighters, your phone, folders and plenty of them for each subject - so no papers will end up in the bottom of the bag, correct?"  
  
"Yes," Jingle groaned. "I haven't forgotten my organization skills, Matt," she laughed.  
  
"Okay, well, alright. If someone asks why you're a robot, what do you say to them?"  
  
"I died and the way of coping was making me into an automaton and putting my memories in this body so that everything's back to normal."  
  
"What happens if your battery pops out?"  
  
"Make sure I fall back rather than forward and pop it back into place."  
  
"Run out of oil?"  
  
"Go to the workshop."  
  
"Break something?"  
  
"Workshop."  
  
"Need help from a teacher?"  
  
"Raise my hand."  
  
"Okay then," he said, leaning back in his spot at the foot of her bed in her new room. The bed was big enough for her and Michael, but he was downstairs watching BBC entertainment. "Well, what will you do if someone goes to hurt you?"  
  
"Let them. I know how to fix the situation and myself."  
  
"Fix the situation?"  
  
"Tell an adult," she said, annoyed. "It's the only way to get people off my back rather than screaming at them and hoping I burst their ear drums."  
  
"Okay," Matt smiled at her. "Will Sara, Meghan and Ele be there to help you out?"  
  
"And Nathan, Gabi, Patrick, and Joe."  
  
"Great," he laughed. "Get to stasis and I'll take you in the morning."  
  
"I love you, Matt," she said, hugging him. He hugged back and smiled.  
  
"I love you, too, Jan. Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight," she sighed, laying back down in the purple bed. Matt got up and turned off the light, their blue and green eyes lighting up the room faintly. He walked out and she slowly fell into proper stasis, Mat not to far behind in his own room.  
  



	74. Dead, A deal with the Devil, Alive, The Professor heads home (and the chaos that ensues), an AU for the AU - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just... don't assume anything yet, okay? Read it through... Really long one this time, my apologies, but it has to happen right here in the chronology.

Peter's phone rang, waking him. "Walter Pidgeon?"  
  
"What?"  
  
It sounded like Bunny. "Hm? I said..." Where was he? Oh, of course. In one of his offices, as usual. "I said, 'Walter Manor.'"  
  
He rose hastily and hurried down the hall. He'd gone to the HoW, found it empty, then headed to the family wing and found a locked door. He decided at that point to head for his office and never quite made it to see The Spine. But surely by now...  
  
"No, you said... never mind. Peter... I have to head back to get Carolina..."  
  
Peter stopped, midstep. "Is it over..."  
  
"Yeah," she said quietly. "Brain activity stopped. Carolina said she just walked right out of the hospital in a daze and ended up in a coffee shop. Sounded like she was still in a daze."  
  
He was silent. He hadn't really thought it would happen, even with the seriousness of the injuries. "Should I..."  
  
"They'll need you to come sign some things later, they said."  
  
He sighed. "I wrote a whole book for them last time. Okay. See you in a few."  
  
"Oh, turns out Rabbit and Hatchworth found a nest of baby birds..."  
  
Peter fought the urge to swear. "Did they eat any?"  
  
"No! They were just... looking at them. It was kinda sweet. They went inside to play cutthroat checkers."  
  
"Get Steve in there with them, okay? And Mike."  
  
"Did it already. See ya."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He switched off the phone and sighed, leaning against the wall. Leo was dead. He acted like he was forty but he was just a kid. And Carolina... He felt an awful feeling of relief about that , which made him feel very guilty indeed. But he had been so worried that she would end up pregnant as well and how the press would have savored it... WALTER ROBOTICS EMPLOYEE PREGNANT BY UNDERAGE INTERN. Yeah... Lovely.  
  
But it wasn't worth it. He was surprised by a great shuddering sob. The next moment he looked around to see where it had come from.  
  
"Oh..." he whispered in a trembling voice. "It was me."  
  
He swallowed hard and went to check on The Spine.  
  
\----------  
  
Bunny drove in silence at first. Carolina wasn't crying. She wasn't doing anything, really... Bunny would have found it less unnerving if she'd been crying, and Bunny still had the lingering, stereotypical male complaint of not knowing how to deal with a crying woman. She supposed there must be women who didn't know how to deal with other crying women, too; she could only speak from her own experience and it was anything but normal.  
  
"You, uh... you alright?" she asked reluctantly, feeling she should say something.  
  
"I... no. Yeah."  
  
Well, that didn't improve matters...  
  
"Was it..."  
  
"Traumatic?"  
  
"Kinda. Did it happen, y'know, gently? No pain or anything?"  
  
"Who knows... he could have been screaming inside and we just couldn't hear..."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry... I just don't know what to say..."  
  
Carolina broke down at last. "Neither do I!" she sobbed.  
  
Shut up now, Bunny. Just shut the he!! up.  
  
\----------  
  
"Ardo! Good to see you."  
  
Ardo sat in a rather low chair in a large black office. The carpet was thick and black, the walls covered in rich grey-black marble. Grimm sat before him, pulling at a large and expensive looking cigar, exhaling black smoke shot with sparks like the fumes from a firestorm.  
  
The boy fought the urge to cough, which would have made no sense, considering he had no lungs. "Which presumably means bad, considering the source," he muttered.  
  
"My, my, you are a sight...."  
  
"Don't dwell on it. What do you want with me, now that there is no going back? Send me to the inferno now if that is my destiny. That's cruel enough without playing games."  
  
"Ah, but what is Death without games?"  
  
"Arkansas."  
  
"Very funny. I have very good friends there... You know, I remembered you acting a great deal more mature..."  
  
"What point is there now? You have in your claws a fifteen-year-old who will never reach sixteen. Why be mature at this point?"  
  
"Was it all a front, then?"  
  
"Some of it. Some of it was just... the way it was." Ardo frowned. "Why are you drawing me out? That isn't you."  
  
Grimm leered at him across the gargantuan black mahogany desk. "You have no inkling of what it is to be me, boy. But you could."  
  
"I don't want..."  
  
"Now, don't be rash. It takes a great deal to be me... and, I have seen, it takes a great deal to be you, as well."  
  
"I suppose I am meant to thank you for that."  
  
"Do as you like. You are past consequences, and manners are the grease that coats the gears of a society of which you are no longer a member." He took another long pull on the cigar and blew out a curling flame, smiling at it as it circled once and dissipated. "It is a fact that I am eternal. It is a fact that I have no lack of assistants... there is always someone eager to sign on to a winning program in return for the perks that come with it..."  
  
"Such as not slaughtering their loved ones? Yes, I know a lot of people who would jump at that."  
  
"Sass. I expected no less." He toyed with a thoroughly superfluous ink pen. "I have different levels of support here, Ardo. I don't seek a successor for I will never resign or perish. I do, however, sometimes need to upgrade the help."  
  
"I don't care for the idea of lurking about, picking up souls, or running some dingy little corner of He!!. Thank you just the same. I thought I had made that clear."  
  
"Ah, no... you wouldn't. But it seems to me that a young man with your life experience could be a great asset. I wouldn't dream or suggesting you begin in such menial work. Even your grandfather started higher than that, and I propose to make you my second in command, as it were. Until I tire of you or you cease to be of use to me."  
  
He said the last part with an almost pleasant smile, as though he'd said, "Until you decide to take another job."  
  
"I can also offer you the privilege of having one additional letter in your name as befits your rank and station."  
  
Nardo? "That isn't much of a perk."  
  
"As you like. Well? What say you?"  
  
Ardo wriggled uneasily. He couldn't deny that he was feeling tempted. It was a fact that, now that he came to it, he was scared. If this being chose to send him into the brimstone, he would face his fate. But if there was a chance to delay it, perhaps even escape it entirely...  
  
Ardo was a survivor. He was, at the same time, a scared teenager. He hadn't exactly depended on the adults to save his bacon but most of the time there had been some kind of support, someone who had his back.  
  
No one had his back now. But someone had his number.  
  
"I suppose if I ask for a condition, you will bristle and rage and send me to burn?"  
  
"No, indeed. I control only those who require the harness in order to serve the team."  
  
He wasn't sure whether to find that irritating or flattering. "If I concede, if I join you in this capacity... there must be no conditions. If I fail, only I suffer the consequences."  
  
"Done."  
  
"Ah, but I wasn't finished..."  
  
"You teeter dangerously close to the furnace, boy."  
  
Ardo smiled. Grimm's steely gaze flinched slightly; suggesting that Ardo's appearance must be grisly indeed to make even Death recoil at his smile. This gave Ardo a little more confidence.  
  
"I have nothing to lose, as I see it. The fact that you imposed no conditions at the start tells me that you wanted nothing to taint my agreement, that you need my assistance. Someone fit to be your second in command must be rare. I have that in my pocket, and on the other side, if I refuse, I roast forever, which I assume I'd be doing anyway. Why not risk a little then, where it counts? Try and strike a little bargain? That's the name of the game here, isn't it? It's just a little practice, right?"  
  
He could have sworn Grimm's mouth twitched into a smile for just a second before his gaze resumed its hard focus upon him. "Go on, then. I grant you this. Three conditions upon your side. I think you will find many more on mine."  
  
"I understand, sir."  
  
Grimm nodded his approval. Ardo had thought he'd appreciate a little butt kissing.  
  
"Then condition one, that my failure comes back only on me, not those I love, not those I work with, no one but me. Accepted?"  
  
"Done, as I said."  
  
"Condition two... Lina..."  
  
"You wish to have her? She has already refused to join us..."  
  
"Of course she has. She doesn't belong here. She is stronger than I am."  
  
Grimm raised a sculpted eyebrow skeptically.  
  
"I want her to be happy, Grimm."  
  
"There are some things I cannot grant, Ardo. Happiness is decided by the individual. A man may be happy living in a pit of filth if he perceives it as a happy circumstance."  
  
"Touché. Then give her something likely to make her happy. Give her something that gives her purpose..."  
  
"She has purpose."  
  
"Give her someone to love. Someone real. The rest is up to her. Alright? I suspect you already have a plan, so quit jerking me around."  
  
"Very well. It is true that things will soon bring her to such a pass. If you accept Fate's decrees as one of your conditions, I offer that."  
  
"Good enough. And finally... I want to grow up. I will stay here, work with you, become what you require. But let me continue to grow. I am nearly to manhood, nearly to my full height and physique."  
  
"Lina found nothing lacking."  
  
"But I did. I could tell. I wanted to be the man she..." He sighed irritably. Grimm didn't own his personal feelings. Not yet. He didn't need to share. "Look, just let me finish before I stop and become immortal."  
  
"You're already immortal. But I can grant this. It's cosmetic anyway. Very well, we are agreed?"  
  
"If I could, I would free Hatchet and The Spine from their burdens, but I know that is beyond my power."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
Ardo sat, breathing heavily, however unnecessary it was, knowing he would soon forget to do so.  
  
Grimm help out a paper that hadn't been there before.  
  
"A touch of your finger will suffice," he said lightly, or as lightly as he could.  
  
Ardo reached for the paper.  
  
"He's responding..." said a woman.  
  
"He's stable. Intubate... I gotta get a burger..." said a weary voice.  
  
The room had grown foggy. He heard Grimm's sinister laughter.  
  
"So close! You must admit, I had you right in my palm, boy... Not so saucy now!"  
  
"Grimm!" he roared, or tried to... something was in his mouth.  
  
"Now, no, no, ssh, stop... calm down or I'll have to sedate you. Maybe I'd better anyway! Oh, I can't believe we actually got you back this time. Don't do that again, okay? Poor Carolina just walked right out when you flatlined! I'd better go find her... oh, but... I'll call someone in to give you something to help you sleep, okay? Just let the machines do the work, sweetheart." She hurried out.  
  
Leo would have sighed with relief if he could have. Had he dreamed it? He suspected he hadn't... Lisa made that clear. He'd died...  
  
D@mn that Grimm... no wonder he was so agreeable! He didn't know whether it had been a joke or a plot... but he couldn't imagine Grimm playing a prank. Not without something to gain, at least.  
  
Another nurse was injecting something into his I.V. The room spun.  
  
It was nice to be back, all tucked into bed. He sure hoped they found Carolina. Sure did. Yup.  
  
He fell asleep.  
  
\----------  
  
"You tak' the high road... and I'll tak'... summat... oh, bugger..."  
  
Professor Elemental windmilled his arms and regained his balance long enough to grab the door frame.  
  
"There you are, dahling..." he drawled. He squinted in the darkness. "Oh, it's you. You little pillock..."  
  
He staggered around the quiet Manor for a good ten minutes, peering into the many doorways, before wandering out the front door.  
  
"Fresh air!" he cried, delighted, and passed out on his face.  
  
Ten minutes later, he pushed himself to a trembling crouch and began to bellow, "Geoffrey! Geoffrey, you bloody baboon, where are you when I need you?"  
  
A ladder creaked down beside him.  
  
"Isn't that just like you... no bloody help at all."  
  
A large orangutan in a bowler hat slid down, slung the skinny scientist over his shoulder, and clambered easily back up the ladder, ignoring the thrashing and swearing of his burden.  
  
Once he had been plumped into an unnecessarily large command chair (which Geoffrey had found to be a very comfortable fit during his absence), Professor Elemental roared, "Home, Geoffrey! I have vanquished the ravager and return victorious!"  
  
Geoffrey blew a raspberry. The Professor looked at him with a wounded expression.  
  
"Yes, I did, Geoffrey," he said in a surprisingly small and hurt voice. "I did, you bloody saw, I pasted the blighter right out there on the lawn. I'm not that drunk, I remember distinctly that I hit him and he didn't so much as lay a finger on me. I'd swear to it in court."  
  
Geoffrey shrugged.  
  
"Right!" resumed the grand bellow of the conqueror. "Open the time vortex!"  
  
"Ook?"  
  
"The time vortex, Geoffrey! I'm not sodding driving all the way across America, who do you think I am, Stephen Fry? He's taller..."  
  
"Ookookookookook!!!"  
  
"Don't you take that tone with me or I'll find myself a new super-intelligent ape to do menial tasks!"  
  
Geoffrey folded his arms and scowled.  
  
"I'll give you an extra biscuit at tea..."  
  
Scowl.  
  
"Oh, for the love of... alright, a day off next week and all the bananas you want the whole day. Are we good?"  
  
Geoffrey grinned the outrageous leer of the orangutan and threw the switch.  
  
"Going to cost me a fortune..." muttered Professor Elemental, falling asleep.  
  
\----------  
  
Bunny and Carolina pulled into the driveway just as the vortex opened.  
  
"If they pass through that..." Bunny began.  
  
"I know... it's been half a day but that thing is huge..."  
  
"I don't have a cell number for him. You get Peter, I'll try to climb the ladder and tell them to stop."  
  
"I'm lighter, I'll do it."  
  
"Carolina..."  
  
But she was already running. "And I'm wearing jeans and sneakers!" she called over her shoulder. "You get Peter."  
  
"Dammit, Carolina!" roared Bunny, pelting after her.  
  
Carolina was well up the ladder before Bunny, in her uniform and pumps, was able to catch up. Swearing under her breath, she kicked off her shoes and ran for the house, pulling out her phone as she ran.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"Are you back already?"  
  
"Get everyone out here! The Professor opened that big portal!"  
  
"No, he's still passed out cold, Bunny..."  
  
"Well, someone did it! Get out here! Carolina is trying to stop them!"  
  
"What?" She could hear him huffing and puffing as he dragged his out of shape body to a run. "David!"  
  
"Not him, stupid!"  
  
"Get some people outside... then lay down... No, get someone else and then lay down!"  
  
"Pig-headed..." Bunny muttered. She turned to look up at the zeppelin.  
  
It was moving toward the vortex. Carolina was hanging from the ladder, working her way up rung by agonizing rung as the ladder, hanging forgotten, whipped in the wind.  
  
"Carolina!" choked Bunny, terrified, feeling horribly helpless as she watched. Carolina was fit, but she would have worried about Steve Negrete in a wind like that.  
  
Steve himself run out the door in his shorts. "What's going on?"  
  
"She's up there and they're going through!" cried Bunny, surprised to hear how much she sounded like a panicking schoolmarm.  
  
"Take a breath. I think I can help..."  
  
He ran toward the open field below the airship.  
  
Peter came out of the house, gasping for air. "What's... where... oh my lord..."  
  
"Steve thinks he can help... what's he going to do? Catch her? Even he can't..."  
  
"No... Steve, don't do anything rash..." gasped Peter.  
  
There was a roar and Steve Negrete burst into flames. Bunny surprised herself once more by letting out a scream worthy of Beverly Garland*. She clapped her hand to her mouth.  
  
"Wow, you're getting the hang of the woman thing, Bunny," David said. "Hey, something's burning..."  
  
From the flames came a pair of large, bat-like leathern wings. The gave a great flap, and a large red dragon rose into the air and after the airship.  
  
"I think I'm gonna faint. Is there anyone here big enough to catch me?"  
  
"Don't faint, stupid." David coughed and started toward the scene with Bunny, Peter, and half the Manor streaming out after them. "That is so wicked. When did we get a dragon?"  
  
"That's Steve!" cried Bunny.  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
"That's it? Oh, okay?"  
  
"My girlfriend is a vegetarian. Not by choice but because she is in fact a kind of rabbit. I can deal with this. Why didn't he say something? Did you know, Peter?"  
  
"Kind of important that I did, don't you think?"  
  
"Hm, yeah."  
  
Steve was rising rapidly but it was difficult for him to get near the airship. The vortex they had opened was creating the wind and Carolina had lost her nerve and was clinging to the ladder. The wind whipped her around to face the dragon.  
  
"Uh oh," said Bunny.  
  
They could hear Carolina cry, "Steve!"  
  
"She knew? How is that fair?" cried David.  
  
"Shut up, David," said Bunny mildly.  
  
He tried to rise high enough to let her drop on his back but his wing struck a protruding ornament on the zeppelin and he nearly lost control. But the time he had resumed steady flight, the airship was entering the vortex. Carolina screamed and lost her grip on the ladder.  
  
"Carolina!" screamed a chorus of Walter workers. Steve, circling in his struggle to overcome the collision, pumped back toward her at full speed. The vortex flashed, arcing like an electrical storm, engulfing the ship... Carolina included.  
  
Her scream abruptly stopped as the vortex closed with a thunderous whoosh. Steve Negrete circled in the now empty space as if still trying to locate her. He whirled toward the ground, back through the place where they had been, fitfully, almost frantically, until Peter overcame his own shock, sprinted across the field, and shouted to him to come down. One of the workers ran up with a lab coat, anticipating the need as word spread through the assembled engineers... "Steve's a dragon... that's Steve... what, no frickin' way!"  
  
Peter threw it around Steve as he transformed. "She must have gone back to England with them!" he said quickly.  
  
"Then she's dead, Peter!" Steve cried in a voice still growly from his transformation. "I had her! I had her! It's a good thing he is back in England or he'd get his fight now, and I'd beat the He!! out of him!"  
  
"Steve! Calm down! Maybe something..."  
  
"Don't okay? Just... go and find out, if you can. Maybe they were over water or something..."  
  
One hour and many frantic calls later, all they had found out was that the police had been summoned to Elemental Manor by the dozens... but only due to reports by locals of unfriendly airships. There was no sign of a woman, or the remains of a woman.  
  
But Peter had found, on checking his voicemail, a surprise. "Mr. Walter, I wanted to let you know that Leo is stable and though he has a long road ahead of him, the doctor says he has a good chance of being able to walk again within several months. It'll be slow going but with his youth and strength and spirit, well..."  
  
"Great..." he said weakly. "I mean, great! But..."  
  
Bunny, David, and Steve (now in shorts once more) looked at him blankly. Now it came to who was to tell Leo...  
  
\----------  
  
Carolina fell, screaming, into dark water. She proceeded to stop panicking and start drowning.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity but couldn't possibly have been, strong arms pulled her up, lifting her face from the water. She coughed and screamed, thrashing in her terror. She heard a bubbling response but couldn't understand it. Something struck her hard across the face and she gasped.  
  
"Stop fighting! You'll drown us both!" roared a deep voice in the split second of calm the slap had created.  
  
She forced herself to take slow deep breaths and let the man paddle toward the shore that she could see dimly in the moonlight. He lifted her easily onto the grass and flopped onto his back, sucking in air.  
  
"Where... in the world... did you fall from?" he cried.  
  
"The airship! The airship was going into the vortex..." she gasped, trying to remain calm. Where was she now?  
  
He was suddenly silent. He propped himself up on his elbow, the full moon behind his head making his face vanish in a pool of darkness. "Say that again..."  
  
"The airship... I tried to stop him... it was unstable, anything could have happened... Steve was..."  
  
She was dizzy. It was too much.  
  
"I... think I'm going to..." She felt sick, but just as she thought she was going to throw up, she fainted instead.  
  
"Carolina!"  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLPdWH4fuXs (1:28)
> 
> Will post more later... this opens up a whole new plot line and I've posted a lot of these for now.


	75. Off to School, o noes! - NinjaPastry

"That could not have been Steve," someone said to another as Matt and Jingle slipped behind them. Michael was no where to be found and it was making the siblings very mad.  
  
They were so close to either being late or early, so Jingle pressed a button in the side of Matt's neck and one on her own and wheels shot out from their feet. "This way," she said to him, skating off. The bookbag on her back with Speed Racer on it had all of her things in it, but felt like dead weight to her. She handed it to Matt and he opened the stomach cavity within him and shoved it in.  
  
He traded it for the three bottles of Pennzoil he had for her to give to the workshop teacher just in case she needed it. She put those in her hatch and they bladed on down the way and around the corner onto the street. It was a half of a mile run to the bus stop and with the wheels and the speed (due to added engines and battery power) they were going a good 25 mph. Jingle jumped over a pot hole and skidded onto the sidewalk, Matt continuing onto the street.  
  
He tossed her the bookbag and waved at her, then kept going down the street and made a U-turn on the stop sign and headed back to the manor. She retracted her wheels, slipped on her shoes and sighed a large huff of steam as the bus rolled up.  
  
"And so this is goodbye," she sang under her breath. The bus driver stared at her wide eyed as she walked around the front of the bus and got on. One step was enough to make the bus driver's jaw drop and then the next stop got the kids to start staring if they were awake enough.  
  
She walked down the aisle, kids watching her with wide eyes. She stopped at an empty seat and sat down, clutching her bag and sitting right against the window, putting her head down. Before the bus could unpark, someone ran onto the bus and make the driver sigh dramatically.  
  
"Walter Manor is right down the road, isn't it?" the young lady asked the new comer. He nodded and she sighed, nodding. "Just take a seat next to the other one," she said snarly. Janelle lifted her head and saw Admin Jon who was then a stranger to her.  
  
She watched him sit beside her, shift about and mess with the black bookbag Spine gave to him. "Cousin," he smiled at her. With an undetected wave back, she put her head back down, surprising him with how she didn't fall instantly in love with him. Probably the lack of blue matter running through her veins and tubing.  
  
"Hard crowd," he said with a grin, pulling out a book called "The Gentleman's Guide to Murder" and began to read it. The bus drove off and the two were now being burned with eyes glaring in wonder at them. Jingle could feel the pressure and pulled her schedule out of her pocket, grabbing his from the side of his bag.  
  
No classes together. None of the same teachers. Nothing. This was going to be even harder considering she was now the freak show with a cousin that made the girls at home's hearts melt.  
  
=  
  
It wasn't that long to school, the two realized, once they got off the bus. Wolf Banner High, a hidden little estate that no one cared for despite the many awards it won for their sports teams who always won in regional and little district battles. To Jingle's liking they had a roller derby that Matt signed her up for and her trials were later that night which didn't rack her nerves nay more than school already did.  
  
When the two got off the bus, the security guard walked over to them and brought them to the side of the front porch looking deal of the school.  
  
"Names?" he asked, pulling out a slip of paper from his pocket.  
  
"Janelle Maryanne Walter-Smith and Admin Jon Walter Squared," Admin Jon said. She looked at him and smacked his arm, angry but not. She just wanted to smack his arm. He laughed and the guard sighed.  
  
"Alright. Have you got everything? Mr. Proctor would like to know if Ms. alter has Pennzoil and Mrs. Storms would like to know if Admin has any extra supplies."  
  
"Got 'em," Janelle said, pulling the bottles from under her shirt. The two boys stared at her and she sighed, putting them in her bag. Admin pulled out a box of tissues and a roll of paper towels, then they walked past the guard. They walked into the front foyer and split up.  
  
Admin walked through the commons, the cafeteria without all the tables, and Jan headed down a hallway where all the English classes were.  
  
=  
  
"Michael?" Matt called. "Mike, where have you gone?" He walked init the new MikeWheel room and saw him sitting on the bed facing the window, something Janelle did on the first day there. He sighed and walked in, sitting next to him. "Wanna talk?"  
  
"I don't love her anymore," he said sadly. He hung his head and stared at his hands, fiddling with his new thumbs. His blue eyes lit against the shimmer of Matt's face and Matt sighed once more, patting his back. He was angry beyond belief, everything falling back into the place it was before.  
  
"Don't ignore her, though," Matt said. "You and I know very well how that ended," he said as he hinted to the new metal suits. Michael nodded and looked back out the window, hesitating to start crying. Soon he let it out, sobbing into his hands and leaning up against Matt.  
  
"Why don't you love her?"  
  
"She isn't right anymore," he said. "She isn't the same."  
  
"She's back to normal, Michael," Matt said quite angrily.  
  
"She isn't what I fell in love with, though," he mumbled.  
  
"And now she's in her sophomore year and you're going to tell her what you feel. She's either going to fall back to Jon who we all know is screwing UpGrade or she's going to find some a-hole in high school and screw herself over."  
  
"Like that makes me feel any better," he replied.  
  
"Well, she has to know instead of living in the lie you've been in for... what? Two days?"  
  
"Three weeks-  
  
"Holy s#it... Michael!" Matt yelled, pushing him. "Why would you not say something before?!"  
  
"I don't want to hurt her," he yelled back, standing and clenching his fists. Matt noticed and scooted across the bed and fell to the other side, quickly jumping to his feet.  
  
"Well, it's going to hurt even more now!"  
  
"I didn't know that then!"  
  
"You know it now!"  
  
Michael thought for a second. "Why not you tell her?"  
  
"And seem more of a jerk than making her go to public school? She tore my face off, dude," Matt said.  
  
"And then she set fire in my arms and broke herself apart because she was so mad, and I don't..."  
  
"You're confusing me, man," Matt said. "It's like you want her to be hurt. If you hurt my little sister one more time, Michael Reed, I swear..."  
  
"Fine then! I do want to hurt her! I don't like her anymore! All those kisses meant nothing! All that time in each other's arms was nothing! I was a fake little mirage to her and even now I mean nothing I do for her!"  
  
"Why are you doing this to her? Why are you doing this to me?"  
  
"Because I... I don't know! I'm different now! We all are! All I know is I don't love her anymore.."  
  
Matt huffed steam and walked out, not before flipping his best friend off and storming out. He brushed past Sam and walked into Jingle's panic room, slamming the door and locking himself in. He let out a blood curdling scream and continued to do so until he wore down his battery and ran out of gas, breaking down and shutting off in the small, secluded room.  
  



	76. Michael's Crisis, Pillow Talk, Where in Space Time is Walter Girl Carolina? - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (I just realized that I imagine Hatchet talking like the Corpse Bride...)

It was agreed that Leo was in no shape to hear about Carolina just yet. Steve was sent through a smaller portal later the next day in order to investigate personally, after a hasty passport was obtained... Peter didn't want any trouble. He was rapidly losing his best workers, and he couldn't afford to lose another. He was seriously considering getting Bunny a bodyguard and a kevlar helmet...  
  
Michael Reed wandered in just after Steve left and sank onto the couch, which creaked loudly.  
  
"Don't sit in the middle, Gigantor, it can't take the weight."  
  
"Shut up, Peter."  
  
"Michael?" He was usually so polite!  
  
"I need a diagnostic, Peter. Something's wrong."  
  
"You're telling me." He began to examine Michael's tubing.  
  
"I don't love Janelle anymore and I had a fight with Matt."  
  
"Sounds like a soap opera. Well, I don't wonder you had a fight with Matt if you don't love Janelle, but people don't just stop loving each other. And you love everyone."  
  
"Do I?"  
  
"Don't you?"  
  
"I did..." He looked up at Peter with a lost expression. "I can't remember anymore. Who am I, Peter? What am I?" He held up his hands. "I feel like... I feel like some kind of monster... I went to the vaults with a little girl... That's what she is, really. She's a little girl... I'm a horrible thing... a... a freak..."  
  
He began to sob fitfully. Peter held his hands up as though the one-man band had caught fire. Great, there goes another one, he thought. He hastily switched Michael off.  
  
His phone rang. "Walter Manor..."  
  
"Peter, there's no trace, man. She didn't come through, alright? It was broad daylight here, people saw the thing materialize... the vortex opened and half the town was looking up when the idiot came through. There was no woman there, they'd have seen her fall!"  
  
"Oh, crap... Carolina... Look, Steve, I won't expect you back yet. You go ahead and see Carol while you're there. But just promise me you won't go looking for Professor Elemental."  
  
"What am I, Harry Potter? Besides," he snickered. "He's in the drunk tank or whatever they call it here."  
  
"Oh. Good."  
  
"If he bothers Carol, however, I'll be obliged to deal with him."  
  
"Just keep it human..."  
  
"I cooled off already. I'm not mad at him. He's kinda thick. Besides, one sharp pop in the jaw should put him out."  
  
"Steve..."  
  
"Chill, Peter, it's cool. I'll be good."  
  
"Right. See you tomorrow morning. Nine o'clock."  
  
"Got it."  
  
Peter set down his phone and stared at Michael Reed. Sighing, he called Matt. "Hey, come on in here and tell me what's been going on, okay?"  
  
\----------  
  
"You're looking a lot better today. Easy assignment?" asked Hatchet, wriggling in close to The Spine as the hammock still gently swung in the wake of their daily tryst.  
  
"One elderly gentleman, died while making love," he murmured with a smirk.  
  
She giggled. He grinned... some giggles were horrible things but hers sounded like a bubbling stream.  
  
"Died while making love? How old was he, anyway?"  
  
"Somewhere in his nineties. Lived in an old folks' home, too. You should have seen the look on the nurse's face when his lady friend hit the panic button..." He sighed. "Poor thing, she was pretty upset."  
  
"Good for her, though! Living right up to the end."  
  
"So... was that our son I saw zipping past as I came in? Only I'd like to meet him, if I could."  
  
"Sorry, darling, they made him ready to go. It's brilliant work, really."  
  
"Why didn't we make a toddler instead..."  
  
"Are you suggesting they're less work?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Did you hear about Carolina?"  
  
"I heard there was an accident..." He looked at her worriedly. "She wasn't your assignment, was she?"  
  
"No... I checked. She isn't dead."  
  
"I'll let Peter know. It should be some comfort..."  
  
"If she's still in this dimension, or this time."  
  
"What?"  
  
\----------  
  
Carolina woke in one of the guest rooms. She stared around her in wonder. The morning sunshine slanted in through the fluttering curtains.  
  
She waited a few minutes and sat up slowly. She expected to feel dizzy but she didn't feel bad at all. It was just a relief to be alive... assuming she hadn't dreamt it all. If she had, how much? Had she dreamed that... no. That had been real. She remembered the medical team tearing into the room, attempting to revive him. After ten minutes they'd made no progress. She walked out... she couldn't bear anymore...  
  
She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes but the tears kept coming. "Leo..." she whispered.  
  
There was a little knock at the door frame. Bunny peered around the corner. She looked paler than usual...  
  
"Bunny... hey, sorry about last night. I thought I could..."  
  
Bunny was setting a tray down beside her. She smiled but said nothing, handing Carolina a napkin.  
  
Carolina took it and wiped her eyes. "So, everything went alright? He didn't tear a hole in space-time?"  
  
Bunny gave a salute and looked toward the doorway. David jogged in soon after.  
  
"Sorry, sorry, I was just..." He stopped. "Carolina... I couldn't believe it when Bunny told me..."  
  
"What? Why?" He wasn't coughing anymore. His uniform was a bit different, too. And he had less hair...  
  
Carolina's skin was crawling. Bunny looked at David and made a few gestures. He looked back and nodded.  
  
"She says you don't know... sorry, I have to break some news to you."  
  
"What? Have I been asleep for ten years or something?"  
  
"Well, that's not too far off!" he said brightly. Bunny slapped him upside the head. "Hey!"  
  
"David..." said Carolina, trying to stay calm. Why had they sent him to talk to her?  
  
"Alright... Look, It's been seven years since we last saw you."  
  
"What? I saw you yesterday! What's going on? Why isn't Bunny saying anything? Does she have a cold?"  
  
"No... remember the Blue Matter blast? Turns out she wasn't just turned into a woman... The exposure to Blue Matter over the years eventually completed the transformation. Turns out she was turned into a mime."  
  
"You're putting me on..."  
  
Bunny gestured vigorously and smiled.  
  
"You're not... Oh, this is so weird."  
  
"It was the zeppelin. You were pulled through the vortex but it was only stable in the center. I guess we're lucky you even ended up in the same dimension."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure..." She lay back and sighed. "So now what? Go back?"  
  
"Um... you can't... come on, it was a fluke. Peter says he might be able to connect long enough to send a message..."  
  
"Do that, at least. I have nothing to go back to."  
  
Bunny stroked her hair. Carolina closed her eyes.  
  
"Leave me alone," she whispered. "No, wait... How was his funeral?"  
  
"Whose funeral?"  
  
"Y'know..." She didn't want to say it.  
  
There was a high-pitched squeal. A little red-haired girl bolted into the room. "Safe! You can't get me here, Jon!"  
  
"Jon?" murmured Carolina, surprised.  
  
A robot with dark hair ran into the room. "Aw, cheater, you just called that..." He stopped short, looking around him sheepishly. "Oopsy... Come on, ya little squab. Your mum's lookin' for ya."  
  
He scooped up the little girl and carried her from the room without a comment.  
  
"What the actual crap..."  
  
"Turns out Sam used to be ginger," David said with a grin. "Look, this is all a bit much. You should eat your breakfast and rest. There's just one other thing we wanted to tell you, though, just so you don't suffer in ignorance. Obviously you were pulled away before you found out."  
  
A head peered around the door frame, only eyes showing. He stood upright and walked into the room... tall, brown haired, scarred, looking more fit than ever at what was apparently the age of twenty-two. Above all, he was very much alive.  
  
"I s-saw you die..."  
  
"You left too soon," he replied. His voice was a bit deeper...  
  
Her heart was pounding. He'd looked so grown-up at fifteen... She blushed in embarrassment. He hadn't been, she saw now. She felt very much like a pervert.  
  
He sat on the edge of the bed. "You okay? You gave me a scare last night when you hit the pond. I pulled you out... Carolina?" he pressed, leaned down to meet her eyes. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I don't know," she whispered, feeling the tears start again. "Everything is so strange now..." And she kept thinking he was old enough now, and somehow that made her feel more like a pervert. Besides, he probably had other women by now...  
  
"Yeah, maybe we better go. I'll come see you later. I mean, if that's okay..."  
  
"I guess so." She risked a glance at him. He was giving her a strange look; it made her blush all over again.  
  
"Wait, why... Why do you still have brown hair?"  
  
"I work less with Blue Matter now. I like being human colored." He smiled. It was a lovely smile... he'd done so little of that at fifteen. "I'll see you this afternoon, okay? Around three, maybe?"  
  
"Okay..."  
  
Bunny winked at her and the three left.  
  
Carolina nibbled at her toast and lay down again. She closed her eyes and saw only that beautiful smile.


	77. Good News for once, Things just a little bit off, Teenagers (robotic that is) - NinjaPastry

Noon. No calls, messages, e-mails, texts, shouts down the hall, nothing. People were somberly walking about, mumbling things, whispering to each other, but Peter was left in the silence of no communication. His daughter was at school. His son was no where to be found. His friend was still powered off in the chair across his desk.  
  
At eleven he got a call from his father, saying that eh was headed home and should be there about 6 that night. Mr. Walter V was coming home, and home was a mess. Chels got knocked up, Spine has been questionable for the past week, Death is his wife, a worker is dead, another worker is missing, another one is ill, three bots were added to the family which turns from Spine has a son and Michael and Matt are dead, and Rabbit is scared of Spine, he thinks.  
  
Either V is going to ground VI from any science or worse: try and set him up with a lady. Great. Last one tried to take off his mask 'in the name of science'. She ended up hogtying him and ripping it off of his face and she later died of blue matter poisoning.  
  
That was not a thing VI wanted to repeat by any means.  
  
He stood from his desk and walked to the doorway, seeing no one down the halls. With a sigh he sat back down at his desk and looked at Michael. The poor bot... He opened him up and checked inside, finding nothing bad about his wiring... weird...  
  
He closed him up and sighed, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw the number, then quickly answered it.  
  
"Hello?!"  
  
"Sir, you won't believe this," Lisa laughed, "But we're sending Leo home."  
  
Peter nearly dropped the phone and ran out, laughing. "That's great! I'll be right over to pick him up!" He grabbed his coat and ran out the manor, headed straight to his car without a word to anyone.  
  
=  
  
"But I don't understand," David whispered to Leo. "She was here and she was gone like that and now she's back seven years later." He seemed frustrated, befuddled, angry. Leo sighed and nodded, putting a hand to his ear and feeling the bleeding start again.  
  
"I know D-david, I know," he huffed. "I-I-I'll try to get an understanding of it, alright?" David nodded. The stutter was making Leo have chills. It had come back a few years ago when he found out about what would have happened in the long run if he didn't make a deal with Grimm or survive the gun shot. Cancer. As if asthma wasn't enough, he would end up with lung cancer and he was nervous about it for no reason, making the stutter come back.  
  
"Meet me back here two th- two th- two th-thirty and we'll see what's wrong, okay?" David agreed and ran off, Leo walking back to his office. He looked in the mirror and sighed, rubbing the bleeding away. For years it's begun, the stress and the constant trial and error of searching for someone, anyone, to confide in.  
  
His right green eye and left brown eye glimmered in the light and his er dripped with blood. He growled under his breath as Steve walked in. He had gotten rid of the dreads and now had a mop of curls upon his head. He looked like Avi from Pentatonix if anyone.  
  
"Leo," the man started, "I need a favor."  
  
"Hm?" he asked, sitting at his desk. The folded flag that was hung in his room now hung behind him in it's glass case.  
  
"Carrie darling needs some sort of weapon to defend off Professor Elemental, that crazy old mook."  
  
"Why would I give you a weap-eapon?" Leo asked.  
  
"Because you trust me."  
  
"Right. I'm.. I am sure Dr. Lenix is fine without one, being so strong herself."Leo laughed and Steve shook his head.  
  
"That's Dr. Negrety to you, kid!" After that, Steve walked out and left Leo to his Linkin Park.  
  
=  
  
Choir. How lovely. Thing was they both had it. The cousins stood beside each other, both basically done with the day, and the class stared. Both tall, both lanky, one curvy and one boney.  
  
"This," Mrs. Bishop started with Admin, putting a hand to his shoulder, "Is Admin Jon. He will be joining the Trebles. And this over here is Janelle. She will will be joining the Altos. Your test to see if you are able to join respectably is to pick a song of your choosing, an instrument, and sing to your heart's desire. All the others did, and now you have to. We will all go to the auditorium now, so students, Scale Away!"  
  
The bots looked to each other and headed along with the class to the across hall stage. The students sat and the bots took the stage.  
  
"Admin Jon," she started, black curls bustling with every step, "What is your song. He looked to the robot standing beside him a smiled at her.  
  
"Well, I'm going to sing a song my papa wrote called Me and My Baby." Jan rolled her eyes and he began, hitting every note perfectly with his own Jon-gaspy twist. He swung his hips and bent his knees, being a total child of Spine.  
  
The same Spine that Janelle remembered kissing and laughing with, making her mad once Admin Jon blew a kiss at her. He finished up, everyone clapped and then Mrs. Bishop walked up to him, giving him a gold sticker that he smacked onto his chest. They stuck their tongues out and Admin Jon stood out of the way.  
  
"Well, I shall sing one my boyfriend, Michael, wrote for me, called Make Believe!" Admin Jon laughed and shook his head.  
  
"Sweet heart, if Michael were to write anything for you it would be Curious Device because he doesn't love you anymore! I heard him mumbling to himself this morning about it."  
  
"As if. Your dad is becoming the worst robot in the band now and you're not even caring."  
  
"At least I have a father!"  
  
"Screw you!" she screamed. Admin Jon jumped out of the way, leaving a puff of steam in the way for her to grab at. "You little.."  
  
"I am calling your parents!" Mrs. Bishop yelled.  
  
"She doesn't have any," AJ laughed as he ran past her. Janelle slipped off her shoes and out popped her wheels, letting her grab him after a while of chasing him. She pinned him to the ground and tore off his head and all that was in it, throwing it to the side.  
  
She saw the oil and the darkness bleed from out of his neck and screamed, jumping off of him and falling back onto the floor in front of the stage.  
  



	78. And the aftermath, Steve Meets the Boys, Something is definitely not right - Whistler

"Seriously?" barked AJ, rolling his eyes.  
  
There was a thunderous silence.  
  
As the rest of the class, teacher included, ran screaming from the auditorium, AJ snapped, "My dad is gonna pull you apart next!"  
  
"I don't care if he does! I don't care about anything!"  
  
"And when they weld me back together I'm gonna use you as a hat rack!"  
  
"If they bother! Maybe they'll just weld on two little legs and call you Spongebob!"  
  
"Who?" he asked, his voice deepening. "Does not..."  
  
He shut down. Janelle looked at the pieces of him and began to cry.  
  
"I didn't mean it..." she whimpered. "Matt's gonna be so mad... and The Spine... and Michael..."  
  
She stopped. What if it was true? She hadn't really seen him in the last couple of days...  
  
Snuffling against oily tears, she scooped up AJ's head and body and walked out, straight through the office, and headed for home on wheels, crying the whole way. No one, strangely enough, made any attempt to stop her.  
  
\----------  
  
Steve found the address Carol had given him and knocked at the door. It wasn't a small house, but it was no Walter Manor...  
  
The door was opened by a bronze robot made mostly of ovals. He stared at Steve, who opened his mouth to speak. The robot closed the door.  
  
Steve rang again. He heard scuffling and something hit the door, hard. It cracked in the middle. There was a deafening thud and the doorknob turned. Someone gave a few hard yanks at the door. He heard a feminine voice yelling, "Block!"  
  
"Block?" he muttered, wondering if he should ring again. "Oh, right, Bloch... her oldest."  
  
There were heavy footfalls and the door was yanked off of its hinges. Steve took a step backward.  
  
"Oh, hello. Terribly sorry. Bit of a mix-up. Do come right in," said a monotone voice even lower than The Spine's.  
  
He peered in and saw metal tubes and boxes fastened together with basic joints. A face peered down from above the doorway. Its plates formed what must have been intended to be a smile. Emmeline slipped past the man-mountain machine and into Steve's arms.  
  
"Papa! You're here already!"  
  
Steve laughed. "You've warmed up to me!"  
  
"That is because Boyle doesn't fancy the idea," said Bloch in stentorian tones. Steve, with long experience in robotics, had the feeling Bloch found it amusing.  
  
"What about you, Bloch? Yeah, Carol... um, your mum told me your name. So how do you feel about us getting married?"  
  
"I am glad to see Mum happy, sir."  
  
"Just call me Steve, okay? You, too, Emmeline."  
  
"Suit yourself."  
  
"Yes, sir... Steve. Yes, Steve."  
  
He rather liked Bloch. He was simple and open. Of course, Emmeline had warned him about Boyle on the drive to the airport. It seemed a fire during his construction had melted a few connections and he was permanently weasely and conniving. On the other hand, Carol had scolded her for saying so and Steve had the feeling Emmeline was not particularly fond of Boyle and might have gotten creative with the truth.  
  
He walked in with Emmeline. Bloch propped the door into place after they passed.  
  
"Steven!" cried a voice that made his heart leap for joy. Carol bustled down the hall and into his arms.  
  
"Found another sweater, I see," he teased, kissing her.  
  
"I have a fleet of them, love. Have you met the boys?"  
  
"Bloch, yes. Boyle... sort of..."  
  
"He slammed the door in his face, Mum. I had to fight him just to get to it but the door was stuck because Boyle slammed into it..."  
  
"You threw me at it, you bloody little rag picking..." roared a voice from nearby.  
  
"Emmeline! Boyle! That's enough! Why must you two bicker?"  
  
"I broke the door again, Mum," said Bloch. "It was stuck."  
  
"So I heard. Alright. Separate corners. We'll talk later."  
  
"Separate corners?" moaned Emmeline.  
  
"Right now, love. Time for recharging, it's late."  
  
"But Mr. Negrete..."  
  
Steve looked up at Bloch with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Steve has just arrived, Mum."  
  
"I know..."  
  
Emmeline groaned. "Again with the mating! Go into stasis, Bloch! You'll be happier." She stomped away.  
  
"You, too, Boyle," Carol called as Steve fought the urge to giggle.  
  
"I was going to anyway!" he shouted.  
  
"Good..."  
  
Steve winked as they each walked away. "I thought we were going to try and get to know each other better, Carol..."  
  
She kissed him firmly. "We are. Let's start with the two of us."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
She took his hand and led him to a staircase. "Good thing I have that fire-resistant chamber."  
  
"Seriously? You just happen to have one?"  
  
"I know it sounds an awful coincidence, but it's paid for itself since my accident. You see, it's terribly convenient being fireproof. There's so many experiments I can do that other people can't. My services are rather in demand."  
  
"Good enough for me. Oh, by the way..."  
  
She stopped short halfway down the staircase. "Yes?"  
  
He thought of telling her about Carolina. But most likely she'd blame herself for it... He kissed her quickly and decided it would be best told later. There was nothing they could do right now anyway.  
  
\----------  
  
Carolina woke when it was getting dark. Someone was in the room.  
  
"Leo?"  
  
"You're awake... Good."  
  
"Why are you sitting in here in the dark?"  
  
"I... couldn't stay away. I was afraid I'd come back and find out I'd imagined it..."  
  
"Leo..." she sighed.  
  
"If I hadn't been there last night..."  
  
"Why were you? Out by the pond in the dark, I mean?"  
  
"I was visiting the cemetery. There's a headstone..."  
  
"It's... it's mine, isn't it? You were visiting my grave..."  
  
He nodded. "I never did keep regular hours."  
  
"I don't know what to say."  
  
He put his hand over hers cautiously, even shyly. She felt a shiver. Leo, shy? He was always so tough...  
  
She gripped his hand in return. There was nothing more adorable than a tough guy being shy, she was sure of it. He looked up at her with a look she'd seen in dozens of movies... the kind she hated to admit she liked. But there it was.  
  
If she hadn't been asleep half the day and darkly aware of just how funky her breath was, she might have kissed him. To her surprise, he kissed her... on the cheek. She smiled.  
  
"Dinner is in a few minutes... Are you up to it, do you think? Everyone's excited to see you again."  
  
"Sure! I can't wait to see them."  
  
"Good! The Jon has been asking about you all day, and it was all we could do to keep Rabbit from running in here. He said he's seen so many people die that for once he wanted to see one come back to life..."  
  
"He?"  
  
"Well, yeah. Don't you remember?"  
  
"Um... yes... but... she... I..." She shook her head. "I think I'd better come to dinner. I want to see everyone as much as they want to see me."  
  
"Great!" he said. "I can't wait to see Peter's face when you walk in... he's been in his lab all day and no one told him yet!"  
  
Peter's face? "Oh, that seems kinda rude..."  
  
"Serves him right. He's been in there more and more since Seven was born. We're all sick of him dodging his own kid."  
  
She stared.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Yeah... just hungry I guess."  
  
"Okay, well, I'll give you a few minutes to freshen up. Bunny will come and bring you to dinner."  
  
He squeezed her hand and put it gently on the bed before walking out.  
  
"Good," she murmured, fighting a feeling of dread as she swung her legs out of the covers. "Because I know where the dining room is in Walter Manor, but I'm not so sure this is Walter Manor... at least, not the same Walter Manor."  
  



	79. The Way things ain't, Jingle pissed off the wrong people, Leo comes home?!? - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The theory is later offered that the hospital staff got too freaked out and wanted Leo out of there... Hey, it's fiction, it doesn't always align with real world practices.

The struggle that 22 year old Leonardo flt to hide that awful stutter from her was pitiful. He wrung out his hands and jumped at the sound of Ariel running down the hall, AJ sighing once he stopped beside Leo. He laughed, then ran after her again. Carolina began to undress, grabbing the one strewn across the back of the chair and slipping it on.  
  
"So," she started, catching Leo's attention, "What have I missed in these seven years?" It was something to wonder, hearing Rabbit being a guy again and Leo's eyes not exactly the way she remembered them. Plus, he didn't exactly smile all the lot and he seemed to now, but there was a reason (most likely), being him.  
  
"You missed basically not much, actually. Everything's the same except a different World Leader, Peter's got a rascal on the way, and I've enlisted back into the military to continue training. I recently just finished up Ranger training and my comrades are looking in on it."  
  
"That's good," she said unsure. Was being a ranger good or bad? And what did he mean by 'world leader'? Then it hit her. "Wait, Peter's got a girl pregnant?"  
  
"By girl you mean Miss Paige, then yes. They've already gotten married and this is number two, Peter the Eighth."  
  
"Oh goodness," Carolina sighed. "He's like his great grandpa, then." They laughed and Leo peeked in, catching a glimpse of her still in her underwear in the light of the setting sun. It was too much like a movie, she thought. Everything seems so perfect.  
  
"Wait, what about Sam and Chels?"  
  
"Yeah, Sam and Chester got hitched about the year they got Ariel."  
  
"Who the he!! is Chester?!" Carolina shouted. Leo's eyes went wide and he looked back into the room. "I thought he got Chelsea knocked up!"  
  
"He did, but... he's gay..." he said it quietly, afraid someone would hear him. He didn't know why he said it quietly, maybe to get it across her quicker.  
  
"But when I left he was deeply in love with Chelsea."  
  
"She doesn't work here anymore," Leo laughed.  
  
"By 'what's changed in the past seven years' I meant what in the manor, Leo. You're a smart guy, why figure something else?"  
  
He held his hands up and snorted. "S-s-sssorry," he strained. "I uh.. I thought you meant something else."  
  
Carolina stared at him. His eyes were definitely different. His right eye was brown, not green, and vise versa. His face never bled like that, and would just be scarred by this point. He never stuttered, and never would. He had such terrible PTSD that he would never go back to become a ranger of all things, whatever that meant. Not to mention, Sam? Gay? Peter and Paige?  
  
"Would you like to tell me what's going on here?" Carolina asked. Leo shrugged.  
  
"Diner is soon," he said simply, looking down the hall, then quickly glancing back to her.  
  
"Can I ask you some questions?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Who is Spine married to? And what i their full name?"  
  
"Hatchet Alexis Walter-Panini."  
  
From what she remembered, it was Panere and by this point it was Walter Squared. "Okay, how many volts does Matt's battery take in?"  
  
"40." Wrong. 47. "Anything else you want to check up on?"  
  
"Are Matt and Janelle-"  
  
"January," Leo corrected. She threw her hands up and walked over to him, slapping him across the face. He grabbed her wrist and held her there, angrily glaring at her.  
  
"No one shall lay a hand upon me," he hissed, pushing her back. She gasped and grabbed her wrist, glaring at him. Although that kinda hurt, that was kinda hot...  
  
"Am I dreaming?" she asked him. He rubbed his face and groaned in what seemed like pain, falling into the doorway. What was going on here?!  
  
=  
  
Spine walked right past Jingle as she slumped against the front of the manor, about to shut off. The glare on his face made her burst into tears. She more screamed than cried out and Spine walked right past her without a word or another look.  
  
"I didn't mean it," she screamed at him. He only walked on and put the fedora in his hand upon his head and got into a cab that pulled up at the end of the way, driving off. She smashed her fist into the sidewalk and bust both the concrete and her own hand.  
  
She stood after a while and walked into the manor, Bunny catching her before she could walk to the vaults.  
  
"Hey, Jingle," she sighed, "C'mon, let's get you fixed up and into stasis, alright?" she asked, worriedly. She nodded and pulled off her bag, tossing it to the floor. The Matter Mistress led her into the nearest workshop, calling Pruitt and Meg to bring over the parts and began to take Jan's wrist and arm apart.  
  
"Wanna tell me what happened?"  
  
"Admin and I got in a fight..."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"On stage during choir. We were singing and Admin finished up his and I was about to go and then I ripped his head off of his shoulders and left." Bunny wiped the oil from the bot's face and sighed, nodding.  
  
"I did a similar thing to David on stage during class in college," Bunny smiled. She helped Jan with her oil age and gasoline tank, then continued. "I punched him straight in the face an broke his nose, purely in rage. He called my character stupid and I had gotten so mad I just- erg-" she motioned punching him and Jan smiled.  
  
"Did it feel good?" Bunny asked Jan. The bot nodded and Bunny poured more oil into her tank and closed her up as the vampire and the girl walked in with the boxes. Bunny pointed to the table and they set them down, then walked out.  
  
"He bled out on the floor," Jan added. Bunny smiled and started to piece by piece take apart the remains of her wrist, placing them in a pile beside her.  
  
"One time David and I got in a hair-pulling contest and I won. now that I think about it, that's probably why he has no hair..." Saying this made Jan laugh aloud, in turn making Bunny laugh. Then She entered.  
  
A weight pressed upon their shoulders, the room blackening out of all lights, leaving Jan's green eyes to light the way. Teal lights, dimly lit, entered and the door become non existent. Heels clicked upon the floor and some light of no explained source shimmered upon the blade of the scythe rusted and sharpened.  
  
"My child's head was ripped off this evening," her sultry voice sounded, echoing in the large room, "And it wasn't my fault. Who dares deceive my power and control?"  
  
"Me?" Jan replied. The lights grew taller, larger even, and they shrunk back.  
  
"By what order and control gave you the right to murder my only son?" Hatchet yelled.  
  
"I was mad!" Jan screamed back.  
  
"No one harms my family!" she screeched back.  
  
"Hatchet!" Hatchworth intervened. He walked in and the darkness sank, the woman no where to be seen. "Get down from there!" He waited, watching a shadow, a mist. "No you may not- I don't care what she did, you are not hurting Janelle! Matt would kill you right back. I know I know but- Just- He's going to be fine! I'll see to it myself."  
  
"Um..." Bunny lead.  
  
"Sorry, Janelle," Hatchy smiled. "She won't bother you now."  
  
The young girl nodded and held onto Bunny tighter with her good hand, shaking.  
  
"Don't let her get to you," Bunny sighed. "She's such a prissy pants. All her darkness and weapons, thinks she's so cool. But we're cooler."  
  
"Totally," Jan laughed. Thank goodness she wasn't just offed. That wouldn't be fun.  
  
Meanwhile in the open front room, Leo took a step back into the manor and Peter was glad to hold his son up, despite him being bigger than himself. Pulling a tank behind him and shaking as he stood upright, Leo looked around the manor and smiled behind the mask tied to his face.  
  
"Welcome home," Peter sighed, tears falling into the blue matter vortex. Some made it tot eh bottom of his mask and dripped onto his shirt or onto the floor. "Pruitt," h called as she passed. "Get some crutches or a wheelchair, something he can get around in.  
  
"Is that...?"  
  
"Yes now hurry. He's going to crush me.." Pruitt nodded and quickly ran off, returning with a wheelchair for Leo. He collapsed into it and Peter patted his shoulder, wheeling him to the dinning room.  
  
"Hungry? Would you like lunch?" Peter asked. Leo shook his head and Peter sat down next to him, letting out a sigh. "I thought I'd lost my only kid, ya know? My only son... I'm so glad you're alright, Leo. I really am."  
  
They sat there until Leo started falling asleep and Peter wheeled him into the elevator, helping him to his room. He wheeled him into the pink painted room and picked him up, lifting him into his bed.  
  
"I'm going to stay in here and if I need t leave, Bri will sit in here with you, alright?" Leo nodded and Peter sat in the chair beside the bed, smiling behind the mask, happy to have his kid back.  
  



	80. Thw world marches on without Peter, Alternate Universe - Whistler

"Peter?"  
  
"Ssh..."  
  
"I know," Bunny whispered, glancing at Leo. "But Jingle needs you right now. Really."  
  
"Oh, but... I told him Bri would sit with him."  
  
"I'll do it for now. But how in the world is he home?"  
  
"Miraculous recovery. And they're afraid of liability. Apparently we weird them out."  
  
"Wouldn't they be more afraid of liability lawsuits if they release a man from the E.R. too soon?"  
  
"We're not helpless here, Bunny. And they've arranged on site help. It's just that they've had too many weird reactions from Leo. He's dying and then he's just not. The staff is getting the willies so that nice Lisa will be coming here to look after him."  
  
"Weird. Alright, go to lab three. She had a fight with AJ..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"I am so sorry to tell you this but once again matters have run on wholly without you. The Spine has become a pappy."  
  
Peter, to her surprise, snorted. "Got Hatchet pregnant, huh? He tried hard enough."  
  
"Peter, seriously..."  
  
"I'm sorry. I figured it was my turn to crack up. I assume they built the little dear?"  
  
"Yupper..."  
  
"Boy or girl?"  
  
"A boy. Teenager. He and Janelle both started school today and it turns out he's got a smart mouth... So she pulled his head off."  
  
"What?" he cried.  
  
Leo shifted restlessly. Peter hurried from the room.  
  
"Hatchet will murder her..."  
  
"Hatchworth stopped her. But Janelle needs you. She's a mess. I don't think public school is a great fit."  
  
"Well, what about the boy?"  
  
"His parents are taking care of that."  
  
He sighed. "Alright..." He started down the hall.  
  
"Lab three," Bunny reminded him. Shaking her head, she took his seat, pulled out her cell, and started scrolling through her Tumblr blog.  
  
\---------  
  
"Alright," Carolina said, looking around her. "Let me try and get some things straight."  
  
The group at the table wasn't totally alien, but there were definitely some surprises, even after Leo's updates.  
  
Leo... He sat beside her in silence. Neither looked at the other. Carolina was embarrassed for slapping him and would gladly have apologized for losing it... but that reaction! Was everyone possessed?  
  
He handed her a plate of rolls and she risked a glance at him. He looked as if he wanted to speak but looked away instead. Little late to start acting shy... she turned her attention to the strange assembly around her.  
  
Peter A Walter VI, smiling after recovering from the shock of seeing her alive. Smiling. She'd forgotten what a nice looking guy he was... possibly because he seldom smiled even before his accident. He'd looked confused most of the time... This one did, too, she noticed. She also noticed he had a leather glove on one hand... fastened on with bolts. It looked kind of cyberpunk... Was that why he had a face? Had he managed to at least deflect the Blue Matter?  
  
Paige, brown haired once more, beside Peter, tending a plump toddler in a high chair, who seemed fascinated with everything around him. Right now he was holding a large dinner fork, tapping it on the table, and listening to the lingering vibrations. Carolina could scarcely believe it, but after a few minutes she was certain that was what he was doing. Most kids his age would be mouthing the thing. Baby genius. Of course.  
  
Sam with his SO, definitely content, but fairly distracted by the maintenance of a thoroughly hyperactive six-year-old girl.  
  
Hatchet and The Spine, sitting as calmly as any married couple. The Spine, to her shock, had panels of human skin in various places, blending smoothly with his chassis. He had one hazel human eye. That was pretty but creepy... creepier still, Hatchet looked for all the world like she was expecting. Very soon. Her hand sometimes rested on her abdomen as though she felt movement, and The Spine's hand often joined hers. The smile they shared then was as good as a confirmation, but Carolina absolutely refused to ask.  
  
Their son sat with his arm around Jingle... no, January... with a living human Matt (what kind of battery had Leo thought she was asking about?) beside her, but no sign of Mike. When she asked, the response was "Mike who? You mean that friend of Walter Guy Jon?"  
  
Hatchworth seemed much the same, as did The Jon, though she wondered when he had come back or if he had ever left. But most fascinating to her, perhaps because he was strange and yet familiar, was Rabbit. He lounged and joked and acted like a smart-mouthed teenager, winking and smiling as he teased various diners while sipping his water.  
  
"So..." Rabbit said at last, giving her a saucy smile. "I see ya g-g-g-got yehr eye on me."  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Yeah, I get that a lot."  
  
The Spine groaned and rolled his eyes... slightly out of sync. Carolina hastily looked back at Rabbit.  
  
"Rabbit... have you always been like this?" she asked carefully.  
  
"Like what? Hotter than the fires of..."  
  
"Kids present, Rabbit," Sam said quickly.  
  
"Right. Like what, baby? You like what you see?"  
  
She raised an eyebrow. Rabbit raised one right back.  
  
"Well?" he said, propping his face on his folded hands.  
  
He's flirting with me! Come to think of it, our Rabbit used to do that... For some reason it felt a bit more worrying with this Rabbit... A glance at Leo told her he was thinking much the same thing. He looked thoroughly unamused.  
  
"Have you always been a male presenting automaton?" she pressed.  
  
"A what flipping what now?"  
  
"Have you always been a man?"  
  
"One-hundred percent male, baby." He winked in a way that suggested he was willing to prove it and Leo cleared his throat noisily. Rabbit waggled his tongue at her, laughed and leaned back, thoroughly pleased with himself.  
  
That was pretty much the tie breaker. But she decided to gather a little more support for what she was suspecting.  
  
"Sam, I'm told you used to be ginger."  
  
"Yeah," he laughed. "You don't remember? Oh, yeah, you started after I did. Yeah, when my hair was changing over, wow. Blinded everyone."  
  
Chester laughed. "I have photos."  
  
"Don't you dare..."  
  
"That explains all that pretty red hair." She supposed Sam's drunken indiscretion was just that... something he would have only done drunk. She hoped Chelsea at least hadn't had her heart broken. "So you have custody?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, Chels was cool with it. She sees her every week."  
  
Carolina smiled absently. What now? Everyone was nice, pleasant, a little creepy... business as usual in Walter Manor. Things were different from when she left, but not just the difference of the passage of time. She looked at Rabbit, who noticed and looked back with an oddly filthy smile that she'd seen in old concert photos. She smiled stiffly and he giggled, childlike once more. The same old Rabbit...  
  
Clearly the vortex she had passed through had clearly cracked the dimensions as well as space and time. She only hoped someone stopped Professor Elemental from doing it again.  
  
His alternate in this dimension was apparently as mad as the one from hers was harmless... Where one was silly, and had to get drunk to go after his rival, this one was borderline criminal and kept eluding police. But where the other Carol was soft and gentle, this dimension's alternate, from the photo Steve had shown her, was buxom but ready for anything. She looked like something from an old sci-fi novel. Steve also, to her bewilderment, carried a large, scaly red egg in an infant sling. David had explained that he slept curled around it at night... dragonform, keeping it warm. How he and his wife had managed to produce it, she couldn't guess.  
  
Carolina said, "Well, I think I'd better rest..."  
  
"You slept all day," Leo objected.  
  
"I know... this has all been a little overwhelming. So much has... changed."  
  
"Go ahead and rest, then," said Peter, reluctantly taking his son on his lap. "I'll get to work on trying to trace the source of your signal. If we can establish a link, I might be able to relay a message, maybe even send you back if it goes really well."  
  
"Thank you," she said.  
  
"I'll walk you back to your room," Leo said, rising quickly. "If that's okay..."  
  
"Yes, it's fine," she replied quietly. He seemed so timid now...  
  
He pulled her chair out and they walked out together. Carolina counted to three and heard the murmurs... Just like her Walter Manor. They waited a little and started right in gossiping. She had to smile.  
  
At her bedroom door, Leo said, "Rest well," and started to leave.  
  
"Leo, wait..."  
  
He turned, his expression oddly pained.  
  
"Sorry... If you have a minute... I don't want to bother you," she stammered. Was he embarrassed too, or did he just not want to talk to her?  
  
"You could never bother me," he breathed. He looked down at his hands abruptly. "Sorry, by the way. I'm sorry for the way I acted."  
  
Another difference. Her Leo hadn't been quite so shy, or so contrite. But why was he now?  
  
"What happened, though? Why the venom?"  
  
"I... did what I had to do, okay? I wanted to live..."  
  
"What, back when you got shot? Does this have something to do with Grimm?"  
  
"Ssshh!" he hissed. "I'd rather not say his name."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"He, well... owns me. I did make certain conditions. I wanted to face my own consequences... and I wanted to live out my life first. I wanted..." He looked away shyly. "I wanted you to be at peace... how he twisted that one around on me," he finished bitterly.  
  
"Oh, my goodness..."  
  
"I know. But I deal with it, okay? Part of the bargain..." He smiled, but there was pain in it. "Is something else worrying you?"  
  
"Yeah," she said. "I... I don't think this is my dimension, Leo."  
  
"You noticed."  
  
"I think the real surprise is that you did..." she murmured in wonder.  
  
"Not really. Carolina... everyone else thinks you just disappeared. Only Bunny knew the truth... she couldn't call anyone to help fast enough at the time, her voice was failing already. You..."  
  
"Died. I died, didn't I?" That explained a lot.  
  
He nodded. "I couldn't believe it... When I pulled you from the pond and I realized it was you... It was like a dream."  
  
"Were you that happy to find me alive?"  
  
"Was I... Honestly! Everyone knew how I felt about you. It was embarrassing! I know you never cared for me, everyone thought it was just a teenaged crush when I fell in love with you but I never got over it... I'm sorry. I know you didn't like me to talk about it, since you were older and would get in trouble if anyone suspected you returned my feelings. I guess I was just wondering whether... well, whether you like me better at twenty-two."  
  
Maybe I am dead. This is too good to be true... He's old enough... and though he was starting to get interested in me in my own dimension, in this one... He loves me?  
  
"No, of course not. Especially knowing what you know now. I'll let you rest," he said quickly, mistaking the reason for her silence.  
  
"No..." She took his hand, stopping him. "I can understand how the Carolina you knew felt about it... I never would have taken advantage of you... even if you wanted me to." She smiled. "But I think maybe your Carolina was a stronger woman. I... fell for you a long time ago. I felt horrible for it, too... but now... There's no reason to worry now, is there? Nothing to stop us if we wanted to move on with it?"  
  
"N-n-n-n-no..." he stammered, wide-eyed.  
  
"Are you okay?" His hand was shaking!  
  
"I-I-I-I..."  
  
"Oh, no, I broke you." She laughed. "It's okay... I'm sorry, I didn't realize."  
  
"Th-that I stu-stu-stu..."  
  
"Stutter! Take a breath, slow down. What are you trying to say?"  
  
"I k-k-kept it t-together until you-you-you... y-you said..."  
  
"Until I said I fell for you."  
  
He nodded.  
  
She touched his face and he looked at her at last.  
  
"Come on, slow, deep breaths," she murmured. He complied. "Better?"  
  
"Yeah... B-but I... st-st-st...  
  
She touched his lips, stopping him. "Then don't try to speak."  
  
She lifted her head nervously, hopefully, toward his, sliding her hand around the back of his neck. He sighed as though giving in and pulled her close. The kisses she had shared with Leo at fifteen had been sweet, but laced with guilt and doubt. This kiss was electric, dangerous, but at the same time safe and secure... an answer instead of a question, that led to more questions waiting to be answered, each of them with a yes.  
  
Carolina's head spun. Let Peter find the way back... she wasn't sure she'd go even if she could. Maybe he'd survived in that timeline, too... but if he hadn't, well, here was a timeline with no Carolina, and a Leo who loved her. Her life back home had grown more and more chaotic, more and more wrong... but she fit here like a missing piece of a puzzle. If Leo had sold his soul after this life, she meant to give him a life that would be worth it, if he let her.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" he gasped when they stopped for a moment.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Me. I sold myself to Grimm. After this life I become his second in command..."  
  
"After this life. That's not now." She pulled him down for another kiss.  
  
"Even if it was," he murmured, his lips close to hers, his stutter forgotten, "I wouldn't let that keep me from you..."  
  
Ooo, that's... seriously sexy... she thought, as they kissed.  
  
They heard someone come around the corner a minute later, and hastily retreat with a muffled giggle. Neither of them was willing to part long enough to find out who it was.  
  



	81. Fixing Junior, Leo heals freaking fast, Fixing Mike -NinjaPastry

Spine trudged down the hall in search for Mr. Proctor, the workshop teacher. Upon a table in his class lay the remains of the bot, making Spine even angrier at Janelle. He knocked upon the door and the fat man let him in.  
  
"Good thing I don't have a class going," the man laughed. "Ripped the head clean off. I got the most of the wiring repaired but that was about it. Everything else was tubes and a weird liquid... What do you power him with, anyhow?"  
  
"You wouldn't want to know, Spine said, picking up the boy. "It's a family recipe." He walked out without a word and carried the boy out of the school and into the taxi, propping him upright on their way home.  
  
Once they got there, Spine carried him into the house and brought him to the elevator, passing Leo's resting and Bunny's tumblr surfing. Spine smiled to see the boy alive, somehow, and brought Admin to his room and began to work. Rabbit, wondering of course, walked right in on the scene and sat in Admin's hammock, watching.  
  
"Who's that?" she asked her younger brother.  
  
"My son, Admin Jon." He pressed two tubes together and melted them with a torch. "And?"  
  
"I've never met the guy," Rabbit said.  
  
Spine looked at her and sighed. "Either have I, sadly. Heard hes got a mouth on him, though." He screwed in new base plates and turn discs, then grabbed his head and put it in place. He aligned the plates and screwed him on, then poured bottles of something into his mouth. Rabbit watched him and his every move, noticing something out of place. There was no blue glow beneath his shirt, nor AJ's.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Rabbit asked innocently. Spine stopped, looked at her, then continued his work. "You are very strange lately."  
  
"A lot has been going on, that's what," he answered. Rabbit saw the flickers of white, maybe light blue, in Spine's core glass and sighed.  
  
"Then why aren't you glow-y?"  
  
"Hm?" Spine said, looking at her. She flicked an ear and smoothed her dress. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You don't glow blue anymore like Hatchy, Jon, UpGrade and me. Even Mikey glows, but you don't."  
  
"You mean by blue matter?" Spine questioned. He leaned over AJ and sat him up against the steps, turning him back on. While his systems warmed up, he looked back at Rabbit.  
  
"Are you not powered by it anymore?" she asked. Spine sighed steam and sat criss-cross, hanging his head.  
  
"Rabbit, I need to tell you something that you might not like." Rabbit listened, suddenly becoming worried. "I'm not powered by blue matter, therefore, I'm dead. Blue matter makes me sick now, Rabbit, and I don;t want you to be mad or anything but..."  
  
She watched him shake when he paused. "But..."  
  
"But, Rabbit, I'm... I am a Reaper now, and I live the life of the dead and killing. Hatchet and I run the underworld, kinda, and our son was born into the act of it. The basic thing is that I am a reaper."  
  
"You've fallen to her level?" Rabbit asked, tearful. Spine felt like crying, but didn't want to show it. He nodded and played with the ring upon his finger. Rabbit stood from the hammock and sat upon her knees beside her younger brother, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, embracing him. He finally let go, crying into her shoulder.  
  
"Why are you hugging me?" he questioned anyhow.  
  
"Reaper or not, you-you're my brother and I'm happy you've made a family and a life for yourself." She rubbed his back and he wrapped his arms around her. "And I love you, Spine!"  
  
"I love you, too!" Spine cried. "I'm sorry to scare you and worry you, I was just scared you wouldn't care for me anymore!"  
  
"I've gotten to know Hatchet and she;s quite nicer than what Ma turned her out to be. We're Walters. We stick together." She let go of him and grabbed her shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "The dark stuff under your eyes are pretty cool, but I think I can find something that can hide it at our next concert."  
  
"Wh.. when is it?!"  
  
"Next week, but we can prepare you for then. Fivey is coming home tonight and we need you picture perfect for the reunion, okey?"  
  
"Okay okay yeah," he said, a bit panicked. "I need to get sorted, Hatchet cleaned up, um... Can you see to Jon and UpGrade coming home quickly?" Rabbit nodded and Spine smiled. "Thanks, sis," he smiled.  
  
She stood and left, AJ powering up. Spine stood and glared down at him.  
  
"You antagonized one of the three most powerful women in the entire manor and you thought you'd live?"  
  
"No sense in it, living," he spoke softly, playing with a tread. "It's kinda like sucking a salty jawbreaker for yer whole life with no end, constantly having dry lips, a bad taste in yer mouth and a panicky sort of setting every step; to break or not break yer jaw, for that is the question."  
  
"I like the analogy, but the way you portrayed your actions before isn't getting you out of punishment."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"Spending even more time with your cousin until you learn to behave yourself. Library work at a public library and service in the Cavalcaduim by my orders. Anything worse, you'll be talking to head of house: Peter the Fifth. Trust me. You don't want to mess with him." Spine smiled and AJ cringed.  
  
"Wonderful. And what is tonight?"  
  
"You are meeting your family, every last worker in the manor, and being nice. You are the newest member to the family and everyone will want to meet you. Got it?" the father asked.  
  
"Go' i'," the son replied. Spine nodded and walked to the door, then turned around.  
  
"You have a suit in your closet I'd like you to wear. Tonight is a fancy night. Tomorrow you have school and will be brought to the principals to meet them. Big days ahead, boy, Brighten up."  
  
He left AJ to himself and closed the door, the boy's green eyes lighting the room up. He sighed loudly and got ready.  
  
=  
  
"Dresses everyone!" Paige laughed, running down living quarters. Pruitt swung from her room, hovering above the floor with her arms crossed and a scowl upon her face.  
  
"You mean I have to wear a dress? Me?"  
  
"Yes, Destiny, you do. So does Lizzie."  
  
"She won't mind, I'm sure... Paul!" Pruitt shouted, "Come try this on for me!"  
  
Paige rolled her eyes as the vampire tried to get her younger brother into a fitting dress and walked into Leo's room, Bunny fixing his hair while he slept. She walked in and sighed, putting a hand upon the foot of the bed, build extra long for his extreme height.  
  
"Anything?" she asked the ex. She shook her head and stood. "Bri should be in here after a while. We're going to get him dressed and woken up so he can meet Five."  
  
"That's sweet of you," Bunny smiled. 'I'm going to get David and Gabi ready, see if they'll be nicely dressed for once." The two laughed and Bunny walked out, leaving Paige with the boy. She stood beside him and shook his shoulder. His eyes slowly opened and she smiled to see the different colours.  
  
"I know this is going to be a slow and painful recovery, but big events call for big names, and you are one of them," she laughed. "Let's get you all dressed up!" She walked to the closet and pulled out three outfits: Field uniform, base uniform, regular suit. He pointed to the base suit and she nodded, laying the dark green suit over the chair at the desk.  
  
"Ya know, and it's better hearing it from me, but Carolina's gone missing. She fell through a portal and we don't know where she is... Sorry." Paige smiled sheepishly and Leo shook his head. He waved his hand around in the air and pointed to his good ear. "The spirits told you?" He nodded.  
  
"Well, do they know if she's alright?" He nodded. "She is?" He nodded. Paige laughed and walked over to him, helping him stand after helping him with his pants. He had motor skills, just couldn't walk right.  
  
"Five will be very happy to see you again after all of that traveling," Paige smiled. She grabbed onto his side and stood him up, pulling his pants up and setting him back down.  
  
"Actually, do you think you could last with a tube and not the full machine? You can still have the tank and everything, but you probably would like to talk, right?" He nodded and she carefully helped him as he pulled out the full tube and linked the cord around his head and through his nose. She smiled and he smiled right back, showing her that perfect smile that she now realized why Carolina loved so much.  
  
"Better?"  
  
"Much," he said, glad to hear his own voice again not surrounded by spiritual screaming and gasping of the afterlife, flames crackling and the echoing scowls of Grimm. "If you hand me the rest I can do it," he said as Bri walked in.  
  
"Mr. Recovery full blast!" she laughed, setting down a little tin of Dapper Dan gel and a comb. "You seem ready for a date with destiny."  
  
"Tonight may just be that," he joked.  
  
"Well, we've got three hours to kill, so why no we say hello to the other workers, let them know you are in fact not deceased?" Bri asked. Paige smacked her arm and she gasped. "Oh my glob, I'm so sorry I didn't-"  
  
"No worries, Miss Brianna," Leo smiled. "Life is a mystery and I figured out the puzzle. Let's just leave it at the cliche of 'It feels good to be back' for now."  
  
"Okay," she breathed. "So, got your inhaler?"  
  
"Yes ma'am," he said, holding the bright pink container up. "I'm all ready."  
  
=  
  
"You ready?" Jon asked Guy. Guy nodded and Jon powered Michael up. He shivered, steamed, then began to cry again. The two men groaned and Jon popped the bot in the jaw, thankfully not hurting himself. Michael looked up at him and wiped his face.  
  
"Hey, drama queen, get over it," Jon laughed. "You love her or you don't!"  
  
"It's never that easy, okay?"  
  
"Why not?" Guy asked.  
  
"The first reason she was made was because she loved me and I had slightly fallen for her. Then she became a bot and we really hit it off. I started to ignore her, thinking she wasn't interested in me anymore, but then she went for The Jon and I freaked, killing Matt and I. Now... Now if I leave her I won't know the outcome. She'll shut down for good or she'll do the same to me, first."  
  
The two stared at him and Jon socked him again. "Will you stop doing that?" Michael asked.  
  
"Not until you get a grip. Why not love her?"  
  
"She's not what I want anymore."  
  
"Does that have to make everything this bad?" Guy asked.  
  
"o, but it's painful to think about."  
  
"Then don't think about it. Leave her or don't," Jon said truthfully. "Be a man for once you priss."  
  
"I may be a priss but I'm a man, too. I can stand up for myself. I just don't want to hurt her anymore than I already have."  
  
"Her emotional stability is not going to worsen if you dump her, man. She's in high school and can find anyone else to screw her in a second."  
  
"Now I really want to sock you in the jaw," Michael glared. Jon stepped back, still grinning slightly. "I shared special moments with her any guy would kill to have with their gal and I feel as if it's melting away."  
  
"Okay Guy Man, get the chip." Guy pulled a chip from his pocket and Jon shut Michael off, popping open his skull and letting Guy insert the chip. They powered Mike up again and watched him.  
  
"Now how do you feel about Janelle?" Guy asked, French accent making Jon smile a little.  
  
"She's... I.. I love her again- how the bloopity did you do that?!"  
  
"Science, biatchez," Jon said, tossing his arms to the outward side and walking out. Guy winked at him and they let him. Sam peered in and smiled.  
  
"Hi, yeah, get dressed nicely. Five is coming here soon. We've got about three hours so take your time."  
  



	82. Michael's All Better, Carol finds out - Whistler

"No, seriously, how does it work?" Michael was asking as Jon helped into a dress shirt. "I mean, if I'm programmed to love her, that isn't really love, is it?"  
  
"Programmed to... what do you think we put into your head? You burned out the temporary chip we put in during assembly. It was kind of a rush job."  
  
"What temporary chip?"  
  
"Self-programming emotion storage. Keeps the automatic responses firing in the correct directions. You feel it, it stores it."  
  
"I know what they are, I had to replace Rabbit's after Jenny the Toaster had her little accident."  
  
"Oh, yeah. That was crazy." He held out a tie. Michael rolled his eyes and Jon shrugged and tossed it over his shoulder.  
  
"Yours wasn't supposed to be in this long. You know how it is around here, though."  
  
"So I was emotionally unstable... not just having a bad mood. You didn't program me..."  
  
"You tell me. Are you feeling anything that isn't straight up Michael Reed?"  
  
"How would I know?"  
  
"You know yourself."  
  
"Yeah, I do," Michael sighed, smiling. "It's gonna be good to see V again. I wonder if he can still fly?"  
  
He trotted out briskly.  
  
"Put on some pants!" Jon shouted. "Yeah, same old Mike."  
  
\----------  
  
Peter VI sat next to Janelle on the work table. She'd told him everything, never calling him anything a daughter would call her father, but confiding in him just the same. It was good... an improvement.  
  
"I don't want to go back, Peter. Please let me do online school..."  
  
"It isn't that easy. There's registration or something, I don't know, I've never done it... But as for tomorrow, no you're not going back. I got a call saying you got suspended."  
  
"What?" He was surprised at her indignation, under the circumstances. "What about AJ? He was fighting too!"  
  
"He was mouthing off... but you actually attacked him in front of witnesses, so you may just have your wish. I'll at least have to transfer you, if they let me."  
  
"No! They all hate me and they love him. Let him go and let me stay home!"  
  
Peter sighed. She was certainly old enough for it... and had some life experiences that no high school kid should have. "Alright," he said. "I'll take care of it."  
  
"Oh, thank you, Peter!" she cried, hugging him. He smiled and hugged her right back. This was more like it.  
  
"Get ready for the visit, now. I have to go get cleaned up." He hopped off the table.  
  
"Okay! Oh, have you seen Michael?"  
  
Peter frowned, thankful she couldn't see it. "Um, no, not for a while. Look, he's needed some maintenance and..."  
  
"Jan!"  
  
Michael trotted in, just fastening a pair of pants. He swept her off the table and kissed her lightly. "I heard you had a rough day."  
  
Jan stared at him for a moment as if trying to read him. But he was so clearly happy to see her and hold her that she sagged into his arms and sighed. "It's better now," she said quietly, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
Peter stared at them until it began to feel awkward and hurried out, calling over his shoulder a reminder to her to get dressed.  
  
\----------  
  
"I'd just like to tell everyone in the town of Codswallop-upon-Wainscott that I am bitterly, dreadfully sorry for frightening them with my airship. I had no idea it was the location of several mental asylums and the World War II Air Raid Orphan pensioners home. I will gladly perform free concerts upon request for any of the various hospitals in order to reassure the residents that I am neither an alien nor a Nazi bomber..."  
  
Steve turned up the volume a little, giggling. Carol punched him playfully in the chest. Emmeline and Boyle were shaking with laughter. Bloch looked on benignly.  
  
"The press conference is only the beginning of efforts by Professor Charles Elemental to repair the damage done when he recklessly piloted his lighter than air ship through a quiet retirement community yesterday afternoon. Meanwhile, there has been no progress in the search for Caro..."  
  
Steve turned off the TV.  
  
"Steven!" cried Carol. "What was she about to say?"  
  
"I... didn't want you to blame yourself. It's totally not your fault that he took his airship..."  
  
"Well, of course it's not, whatever it is. It's Charles' bloody fault! Now out with it!"  
  
"Carolina has gone missing," he said meekly.  
  
"Steven Negrete... You know, you need more names so that I can be properly upset with you! Why didn't you say? Oh, right... But what's being done?"  
  
"Nothing, now..."  
  
"What? What happened to her?"  
  
"She was on the edge of the vortex when the airship passed through. She was falling, actually... I tried to catch her but my wings were in the way..."  
  
"Wings?" Boyle cried.  
  
"Not now, love. Well, she could be anywhere! Or.. or anywhen!"  
  
"I know. I scoured the area where he came through. No one saw her. She isn't in England."  
  
"Not right now, at least... Oh, Steven... I have to help, you realize. I feel partially responsible..."  
  
He opened his mouth with a look of triumph, pointing at her. She put her hand lightly against his lips.  
  
"Don't say it. Emmeline, love, no pranks while I'm away."  
  
"Away?" asked Steve.  
  
"We're going to find out what happened to that girl! Time to visit Charles."  
  
"Do you think you should, Mum?" asked Bloch.  
  
"Not without Steven, no."  
  
Steve grinned. Emmeline and Boyle giggled.  
  



	83. Carolina can't fight the truth, snuggly robots, a visit to Hell, fussing over Leo - NinjaPastry

Beside Leo Carolina lay, her hair back in a bun and Leo snuggled up to her quite nicely with an arm around her waist and her back to his chest. That was amazing, was all she could think afterwards. He had fallen asleep, though, after and she was more than willing to cuddle.  
  
It wasn't the same Leo. It was hurting her because of that and she had to get out of there. She slid out from under his arms and kissed his cheek, grabbing her clothes quickly and running out down the hall. There it was midnight, the halls dark and foreboding, but she knew the layout well. At least that hadn't changed.  
  
She turned a corner and ran straight into Peter, falling back a bit before he caught her and pulled her back to her feet.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I-I can't be here," she breathed. "Nothing's the same and I can't do this anymore."  
  
"Calm down, Carolina," Peter said, putting his hands to her shoulders, "You stay here for now."  
  
"No, I don't need to. None of you know me! I'm not the same Carolina! Yours went missing when I did and.. I'm not her!"  
  
"You are the Carolina who we know."  
  
"No! I'm not! Where is Hatchet and Spine?"  
  
"Third floor, fifth room to the right-"  
  
Carolina ran off, Peter not able to stop her. He sighed and continued down the hall to his own room, Paige looking out the doorway. She sped up the staircase and ran to the HoW door, banging on in.  
  
Spine!" she yelled, "Spine please let me in!" She waited rather impatiently and he finally opened the door in a red robe. She ran in and went straight to Hatchet. She saw her bump and raised an eyebrow. If she's a robot how can she have a baby bump? Parts... that's how...  
  
She woke her up and Hatchet groaned. "Whhhuuut do you wunt wif me?!" Hatchet yelled.  
  
"I need you to open the portal to the underworld."  
  
"Like I'm doin' that for anyone but m'sef."  
  
"Hatchet, please. I need you to."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I just need to be there, okay?"  
  
"Oh hun," she laughed, sitting up, "You wouldn't survive a day in there." Spine walked over to the two of them and put a hand onto Carolina's shoulder.  
  
"I think you need to leave-"  
  
"Okay," Hatchet said, putting a hand out. "I'll open it, only if you promise not to tell Him I did so for you, okay?" Carolina nodded eagerly and Hatchet had Spine help her from the hammock to the closet. She opened it to a brick wall and put a piece of chalk in Carolina's hand.  
  
"An oval, a knob, knock three times, bust through." Hatchet lead her on, making sure she did it right.  
  
"Tell Leo I love him," she said before knocking quickly and forcing her way in with her shoulder. The portal closed once she went though and the two looked to each other.  
  
=  
  
"Ya know, you started to button your pants," Jan pointed out as they walked to their room, "But you should have not been if you're seeing me..."  
  
"Can we not turn out like the Walter Squared's?"  
  
"Why not? It's cute."  
  
"You ripped their son's head off." Michael looked at her and she laughed, gripping his hand a bit tighter.  
  
"Fine," she laughed. "I promise we will not turn out like them." They walked into their room and she quickly walked to her closet, seeing all the boxes had been unpacked. Michael looked around and out the window, smiling to see the little cityscape and trees, the beach not to far to the left. She grabbed a dress, a black and pink slim one with a Speed Racer 5 on the left collar bone.  
  
"This?" she asked, holding it up to herself. Michael looked at sighed, a grin coming across his face. "I can try another one, too, but I think Grandpa will like this one."  
  
"I like it," he said finally. She smiled and tossed it onto the bed, slipping off her shorts while he turned back to the window. "So, are you excited?"  
  
"I've never met him, so yeah! Is he nice?" she asked him. He turned to look right as she ripped the back open and put it on, grabbing three ribbons from the little case on the shelf in the closet. She walked over to him and he took the ribbons.  
  
"I guess," Michael laughed. "I haven't seen the guy in five years." He pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her shoulder before he wrapped the ribbons around her and tied them in the back. Her smile when she turned to face him made him smile and he kissed her nose.  
  
"You are being way too cute right now," she laughed, "so I need to top that, don't I?"  
  
"In many ways," he agreed with a nod. She smacked his shoulder and he pulled her down with him upon the bed. She tugged out his shirt from his belt and ran a hand up his chest, making him smile. Jan kissed him deeply and smiled between breaks while he grabbed her bum.  
  
Matt, headed to tell Janelle to finish getting ready, walked in on the two and shielded his eyes. "Okay, um, Jingle!" he yelled into the room. She gasped, looked to the door, then rolled off of Michael and ran to the doorway.  
  
"Yeah, sorry," she laughed.  
  
"Are you getting ready?" he asked, looking up at her.  
  
"Yeah, sorry... We were taking a break."  
  
"Obviously. Um, you need to fix your hair after your... 'break', okay?"  
  
"I will! I never leave the room without looking pretty." Mat nodded and glared at Michael.  
  
"And you. I need to have a talk with you later on."  
  
Michael nodded and Janelle backed up back into the bed, sitting and waiting until Matt left. She looked down at Michael and smiled, crawling back atop him. He played with a curl and smiled sweetly at her.  
  
"So, why does he wanna talk to you?" she asked him, folding her hands under her chin. He looked at her and sighed.  
  
"Some wiring got burnt and a chip fused out and I said things that I shouldn't have, so there's nothing to worry about," he replied honestly. She nodded, suspicious, and kissed him.  
  
=  
  
"Please NO!" a scream echoed. Another, a shorter one, sounded down the cathedral hall as Carolina landed hard onto her back on the tile floor. She coughed, winded, and sat up slowly. Her legs sprawled out as she managed to balance herself. She quickly stood and ran down the hall, not really knowing where she was going.  
  
There was no workshop, but there was a series of cages, the ones before. General Kinglser Jr. should be around somewhere... She slid across the nether stones and fell into a cage, grabbing the bars and looking in to see a man with his face ever so slowly melting off of his face like wax.  
  
She screamed and fell back into another, seeing a woman with her face in bandages, dark eyes and a blue light appearing through the thin linen. She screamed once more and ran down the hall, around the corner, and straight into a cage.  
  
"Ms. Gumbayan," General laughed, "How wonderful to see you down here. Enjoy the parallel dimensions?"  
  
"Wha..what do you mean? How do you know my last name?" she questioned. She stood and looked in, seeing his familiar features as he turned around and faced her.  
  
"I took a guess. Plus I have a list Leo gave me."  
  
"Which Leo? My Leo or the other one wit the wrong eyes and bleeding burns?"  
  
"Your Leonardo," General sighed. "You're too smart sometimes to come here and think about leaving."  
  
"I know I just figured- wait, what?" she suddenly switched her thought train. "What do you mean? I am leaving, you know that. I'm going back to my own dimension and I'm staying with the right Walters and the right Kinglsers and Lukes and Bennetts and Smiths. I know where I belong and it's not here and it's no in the other dimension."  
  
"Says you," a dark feeling replied. She screamed and found herself surrounded by the darkness.  
  
=  
  
Bri pushed Leo in his wheelchair to the kitchen as workers, nicely dressed with aprons on, jumped and ran around, getting ready. Leo patted Bri's hand and she stood tall, making fun of Leo while also doing him justice.  
  
"Workers!" she shouted, "Listen up!"  
  
They all turned and looked at her, some crying out and one screaming at the sight of Leo. He smiled and waved, Bri laughing a little, breaking her character.  
  
"He's back, yes, and he is only going to be in here for so long. He's putting me in charge of the kitchen service tonight and I will be taking Paige's previous spot from last night. You will obey or I will have to get Leo and I'm sure none of us want him to stand and harm himself trying to make sure we're doing everything right, right?"  
  
"Yes ma'am!" they shouted. Bri grinned and Leo looked up at her.  
  
"Say hellos and what not to him now and then he needs to go and say hellos to everyone else."  
  
After a few minutes of being rushed and greeted and patted on the shoulder, Leo finally waved his hand and Bri wheeled him out, handing the torch to Paige who wheeled him to the front door and out into the garden. He kindly agreed to it and sat with her in the nice air.  
  
"So," she started. "What was it like?"  
  
"What was what like?" he asked. She placed a few pink roses and orange daises in his lap and then some grass, making herself her own flower crown of white lilies and lemon grass. He began tying them all together and sizing it up.  
  
"Being dead," she said simply. "I know it's kind of rude to ask that, but, I'm curious." Such a sweet girl and such a dark question.  
  
"Well," he started, "It's scary for the seconds before." Deep breath kid, you're about to pass out... "I knew I was dying. The spirits were holding me and telling me to let go. Carolina was the one keeping me there while she could and..." Deep breath stupid! "And the fact that I let her go..."  
  
Paige looked at him and noticed him shaking. "You don't have to tell me, Leo."  
  
"I want to. Someone has to know and I need to get it off my chest... I knew I was going. The pain stopped and I got scared. I felt light, then heavy all at the same time, like driving up and down steep hills and getting knots in your stomach... Everything went blurry and the panic stopped. I knew what was happening. I let go and didn't feel scared anymore. My everything stopped and I couldn't feel anything. The doctors, nurses... Carolina's hand..."  
  
Paige nodded and picked the flowers from Leo's lap and did his for him.  
  
"I felt like I was home when I realized everything was over. I knew that something would happen and the sooner it happened the better, not that I was asking for it," he said. He reached behind himself and grabbed the oxygen tank, turning it up. "I just felt like I was back at 6 years old, playing with my dad's old toy Hot Wheels and listening to Madonna with my mom in the kitchen. It was warm, and comforting... Then I opened my eyes."  
  
Paige played with her crown and put it upon her head, looking at Leo. "What did you see?"  
  
"I'm not a believer in the whole Heaven or He!! game here, so I ended up in neither place. I ended up in the underworld, where should go to rest. My father, my mother, and my grandparents were there, waiting for me. Even my older sister who I never got the chance to meet." He sniffled and fixed his cap, then looked at her. "It was cold then. It was scary again. Then everything went backwards when I shot up from the dead and scared the nurses and doctors."  
  
Paige laughed at his and handed him the finished flower crown. He took off his cap and put it on, placing the cap into the back pocket of the wheelchair. They smiled and Paige stood up from the stone bench t kiss him on the forehead.  
  
He smiled and blushed, watching her as she sat back down in her cute little dress back upon the stone bench. "Wanna go inside and meet everyone over again?" he asked. She nodded and wheeled him back inside, a smile glued to his face.  
  



	84. Amusing Worker chat, Eauuwww Mum! - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (I made a reference to a couple of fanfics, including some of my own. Apologies to the authors, I am an avid reader as well as writer of fan fiction and mean it as a nod, not to make fun. :D)

"So then I says to the Tibetan monk, 'Foyer? I barely know her?'"  
  
Chelsea snickered. Bunny rolled her eyes.  
  
"Five sounds nothing like that, Sam. And that's not how you pronounce..."  
  
Sam grinned winsomely at her and she gave up.  
  
"Any more pissy little details we need to attend to?" he asked.  
  
"Always. But you can go get dressed instead."  
  
Sam gaped. "But... this is my best tie!"  
  
"Better borrow one from The Spine then."  
  
"Nuh-uh. Every time I get near him, he starts giving me advice on parenting."  
  
Bunny stopped fussing with the flowers and stared at him. "He does not..."  
  
"He does. You'd think he'd actually raised junior instead of having him built."  
  
"Well, there's rumors that The Spine once adopted some kid and raised him."  
  
Chelsea laughed. "Yeah, there's rumors that Rabbit used to be human, that the entire band saved an old woman from an earthquake, that The Spine had a lusty affair with one of the members of Daft Punk... oh, what else..."  
  
"How about the one where The Spine let a scientist mess with his programming and ended up slicing The Jon into chunks?"  
  
"Ew," Bunny said, making a face.  
  
"I liked the one where I had super knees from being a test subject for the Portal corporation... I could use super knees sometimes." Sam laughed.  
  
"Actually," Bunny said quietly. "I read one where I was a mute and had fling with Peter."  
  
"Now that's fantasy," Sam giggled.  
  
"Not exactly my type, no. As I keep trying to tell Annie."  
  
"What?" Chelsea asked. Her eyes widened. "Oh, that's right... you said..."  
  
"She keeps trying to fix us up. There's no meanness in it, I just don't think she understands what a lesbian is. And yeah, I explained it. She gave me that bland vacuous smile you get from someone who just isn't taking it in. I mean, what do you say to someone like that?"  
  
"Especially when you work for them," Sam said, slumping into a chair.  
  
Bunny touched her nose and nodded. Chelsea laughed.  
  
"Yeah, you can laugh," Bunny muttered. "You're out of circulation. Every other Walter Girl in the Manor, though... Oh, man, do you think Annie will try to fix him up with Gabi, too?"  
  
"I thought she was David's..."  
  
"Not what you'd call officially, no. It's so high school! They practically drool over each other but neither one will say anything. It's enough to make you scream."  
  
"Well, you know David best, but... You're sure Gabi feels that way about him?" Sam asked.  
  
"Have you seen the painting she's working on right now?"  
  
"N-no..."  
  
"He's clothed. That's something."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Don't worry, it's nothing sleazy... She's just spent an unholy amount of time painting his eyes."  
  
"He does have nice eyes," Sam admitted. Bunny batted hers at him.  
  
"You trying to say something with that?"  
  
Bunny shrugged and looked around. "Alright, it's ready. I'll just go wriggle into a few more crinolines..."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Shut up, Sam. See you at dinner."  
  
\----------  
  
AJ looked in the mirror, trying out smiles. He tried a sexy one and realized he really didn't have the life experience to back it up. He didn't have the life experience to back up a hearty laugh, really.  
  
He tried a frank, open smile and dropped it just as quickly. His database told him he looked just like The Jon when he did that. He looked just like him anyway, to his irritation. Why'd they have to make him look just like his uncle?  
  
He slumped onto a chair, pouting. He was going to look like this forever, as far as he knew. He'd finally met his father, every towering inch of him. It wasn't like AJ had that to look forward to, like a human guy. He couldn't tell himself it was okay, once he got that growth spurt he'd be taller than his dad...  
  
He spent a couple of minutes blissfully fantasizing over that before his mother walked in and swept him up in a hug before he could react.  
  
"Eaugh!!! Mum!!!" he groaned.  
  
She laughed in that tearful sort of way mothers did laugh when they were happy or relieved, as though he was a baby who had said something cute.  
  
"Oh, love, I was so worried about you!" She held him at arms' length. "Your father's done you up a treat, look at you! Oh, that suit looks lovely on you..."  
  
"Muuuum..."  
  
"Wasn't there a tie?" She started looking around. "We asked for a tie..."  
  
"Muuuuuum..."  
  
"Oh, never mind. Looks sort of rakish, open at the collar. Just like your father."  
  
"Mum..." He stopped. "Yeah?"  
  
"Oh, yes, every bit as handsome."  
  
His database told him mums were supposed to think you were handsome even when you looked like you'd been sat on by a yeti with a scorching case of hemorrhoids. He disregarded his database and said quietly, "Thanks."  
  
"Well, come on... No, one thing... Janelle is going to be at dinner."  
  
He scowled. He looked at her and realized he was, too.  
  
"Yes, I know," she said darkly. "But... she's a child. And she used to be human. She's having a hard time adjusting to being an automaton. I... I'm almost positive she never meant to pull you apart, love. I'm still angry... but... We're going to try and forgive this, do you understand? If we want to be able to live here with you father, we're going to have to take the high road."  
  
"I know, Mum. Dad's already said..." he said shortly. "I'll be good."  
  
"There's a good lad. Now come on... Your father is practicing with the others and I want you to hear them!"  
  
He slumped along behind her, carefully hiding how excited he was to get to hear his father play for the first time.  
  



	85. Fussing and getting ready for Peter V and Annie to arrive - NinjaPastry

"Everybody is getting ready," Peter sang nervously, "Janelle has a dress on, Leo's in a wheelchair and about, kitchen is running fine..." He turned the corner, headed to the library, and saw David looking through a box. "David?"  
  
He looked up at him and waved, pulling out a dress. "Hi, Peter."  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Getting a dress for Gabi to wear," he said, a bit hoarse. Peter nodded and walked onward, running things over in his head.  
  
Dad was to arrive at 6 exactly with Mom. Pruitt, Meg, Paige and Tom were to take their luggage to their room, they meet Leo, they meet Janelle, they meet AJ and Hatchet, they greet Matt and Michael in their new forms, they tour the house and what's changed...  
  
Performance. Performance! During dinner! That's right!  
  
Peter sprinted to the dining hall and found Rabbit in a fancy dress she obviously fashioned together herself with belts and bows and everything (at least it didn't look like a Lady Gaga dress), Spine walking up to the small stage with his usual suit except no more red collar or cuffs and his tie was a deeper red, Hatchworth him a nicer little suit without the two tails.  
  
Before Peter could take another step into the room, The Jon and UpGrade ran in, jumping up onto the stage with them, Jon in his usual outfit with a fancy feather in his hat and UpGrade in a fancy dress with pink lace and bows on it.  
  
When did they get here?  
  
"UpGrade!" Rabbit gushed. She wrapped her arms around her younger sister lovingly and Jon waved to Spine who smiled right back.  
  
"How is he?" Jon asked. "How's my nephew?"  
  
"Up and running and he should be here soon, actually," Spine said, sounding just like him old self. Peter looked and watched them interact, breath-taken for some reason. It was just a pleasing sight to see with all that had happened previously. It was calming to know Spine wasn't ripping out souls and Rabbit wasn't terrorizing Janelle- wait...  
  
He spun around and saw Michael and Jan walking in, hand-in-hand, and waved them over. Matt ran in after, wearing a blue tie, a white shirt and quickly pulling his jacket over his shoulders. He buttoned it and followed the two up t Peter, a smile on his face. He was obviously nervous.  
  
"Okay," Peter started, "Here is how it's going to work. You'll all get on the stage in your places. Matt at drums, Mike at keys. Jan, honey, you get to use the dub board." She smiled wide and Peter laughed.  
  
"Dub board?" Mike asked her.  
  
"It makes beats, sounds, so on. It's like a dubstep maker... Skrillex? Deadmau5? Alex Clare?!" They weren't getting it. She sighed loudly and walked out without Michael to follow like a little puppy in love like how he was. He waved at her as she left and smiled dreamy eyes into the empty space of the dining hall.  
  
"Oh no," Matt said, "He's got it bad now..."  
  
"Whatever Jon and Guy did was magic, but hardcore," Peter said simply put. Matt nodded and tapped Mike on the head, leading him over to the stage.  
  
"So, you both- we all have different instruments?" Hatchy asked.  
  
"Drums," Matt called out, jumping onto the stage and taking his seat.  
  
"Guitar," Spine said as he picked his Black Beauty up. Rabbit noticed the silver filling smoothed into the encarved parts under his eyes.  
  
"Keytaur," Rabbit chimed, unsure of Spine's able-ness to hold in the urges he now has.  
  
"Mandolin," Jon said. He strummed and UpGrade put the age-old strap over his head and onto his shoulder for him and then picked up her tambourine, shaking it instead of saying anything.  
  
Michael made a few chords, getting into his own little groove and going his own strange ways. Jan walked up confidently with a case in her hand, then walked onto the stage and stood at the end of the line in front of Michael.  
  
The line was as such going: Matthew in rear of UpGrade, The Jon, Rabbit, The Spine, Hatchworth, The Wheel, and then finally, as named on his blueprints, The Reed.  
  
"You'll all be shut off until you're needed, alright?" Peter asked. Jan spun around and deeply kissed Michael before turning back around, opening the case and kicking out the stand, opening the lid and ripping it off and tossing it away. Peter caught it and set it against the stage.  
  
"Ready," they said in unison. Peter nodded to Guy and he ran up with Jon, shutting everybot off. The drew the curtain and shut it, nodding to each other.  
  
Robots on stage: Check.  
  
Peter turned and walked to the kitchen, seeing everyone busy at work. Three workers were working on icing a cake; Miss Ro, Miss Tiffany, and Mister Tim. Miss Ro, the cutest little thing, made Peter's heart race, but he quickly spun out of the kitchen before he said something stupid. He ran down to the elevator, passing the deadly mother and son, then ran in just as the doors were about to close.  
  
=  
  
Chels grabbed Sam's sleeve and stopped him from walking out of the room. He looked back at her, worriedly.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm nervous."  
  
"We all are, sweetheart."  
  
"I know, but..." she trailed off and looked at her dress, Sam letting out a sigh. "I just don't know what Five and Annie will do. You know the rules around here..."  
  
"Chels, again, we were drunk. We can lie and say we went to a hotel and-"  
  
"Hotel and what?" Lil Steve asked, passing the room. Sam jumped and kicked him, making him land right against the wall. He groaned and fell to the floor.  
  
"My stuffing!"  
  
"Lil Steve!" Sam shouted. He ran over to him and picked him up, making sure nothing was torn or anything. Steve would kill him.  
  
"I'm fine you mook, set me down!" he thrashed about, "I don't like being man-handled!"  
  
"Nice fatherly-instincts," Chels laughed as Sam set the doll down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((I put in a movie reference in there. if you get it you win)) - NinjaPastry
> 
> (I think I finally did get the reference, actually.) - Whistler


	86. Leo grows up, Riddles with Kinglser, Jackelopes don't understand pretty dresses - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me still being confused about whether Leo's dad or grandpa was the one who keeps meeting Carolina.

Leo dozed in his chair.  
  
"Carolina!" screamed a voice.  
  
"She's falling!"  
  
He shook. He couldn't get to her fast enough. He struggled to move...  
  
The scene snapped to somewhere else. He was in school? He didn't need to go to school anymore, there was nothing they could teach him there... Time seemed to pass in an instant, but it felt like a year... people came and went, life moved on, he learned and grew... and one day he needed to know, no one would tell him...  
  
"Carolina? Paige, where is she? Why haven't I seen her? It's been almost a year..."  
  
"Leo... I'm sorry... She died in the vortex. They never found a body. I didn't tell you because Peter asked us not to... even when you got better, he thought you couldn't handle it."  
  
"You told me she was working with Dr. Lennox..."  
  
"It was for your own good..."  
  
"Stop treating me like a child!"  
  
"Leo, you're only sixteen..."  
  
"I'm not a child, damm!t!"  
  
"Leo? Leo, are you okay..."  
  
"I'm not a child!" he roared. He jerked awake and found he was looking, through long strands of hair, straight into the terrified face of Walter Girl Paige.  
  
"What the he!! happened here?" she shrieked.  
  
"Did Rabbit put a wig on me?" Was my voice always this low?  
  
"It's growing out of your head, and it's almost to your shoulders! What... And your nails! And the suit... oh, Leo, what happened to the suit?"  
  
He stuck out his leg. The pants were a couple of inches too short.  
  
"I don't know..." He stood.  
  
"Leo!" she gasped. "Aren't you dizzy?"  
  
"No, I'm good." He pulled out his breathing tube.  
  
"Stop that!"  
  
"I don't need it..."  
  
"Fine, just don't touch the IV..."  
  
"You'll have to detach it to change my suit..."  
  
"And give you a bath... ugh, Leo, it's like you haven't bathed in a year..."  
  
He was beginning to wonder if he had.  
  
She stared at him and shook her head. "Oh, this is too much! Ugh!" She pulled out her phone. "Guy? Leo needs serious maintenance, now!"  
  
"But you said he was dressed..."  
  
"He was! Oh, just come down here! And see if The Spine has an extra suit! Yes, no one else is tall enough." She looked him up and down. "No, Michael's human clothes will be too short. Yes, you heard me. Walter Manor strikes again."  
  
She looked at Leo. "He'll be right here. Don't do anything, okay? Just wait."  
  
She hurried out.  
  
"But..." he began, but she'd gone.  
  
"Where's Carolina?" he whispered.  
  
\--------  
  
"So I just sit here?"  
  
"Not at all. You can help me sort through files."  
  
"Whee."  
  
"I could use the help, Lina," said the old man.  
  
"That Grimm... does he hate humanity or what? Only I swear half the time he's like some twisted fairy godmother."  
  
"Oh, don't let him hear you say that," Kinglser chuckled. "He likes order. Sometimes achieving order requires tampering in the human realm to bring things around to standard. You fell into a little curlicue of disorder and he means to set it right. And since you aren't content with the arms of my grandson in the dimension in which you were placed, he's finding it necessary to make your dimension a better fit."  
  
"Of course I'm not content... it's not my dimension!"  
  
"And yet there was a place for you in it. A void left by the death of your alternate. Ardo there was content to accept you into his life and into his bed..."  
  
"Please don't..." she said unhappily. "I shouldn't have..."  
  
"But you did. It's written, you know. It just isn't written where."  
  
"Don't go Gandalf on me..."  
  
"Nonsense. I'm saying that your names are written side by side in any dimension."  
  
She felt a warmth pour through her at this. How romantic! But it didn't last. She was beyond that nonsense, especially considering the obstacles. "Tell that to the Carolina who died! She showed no interest in him romantically..."  
  
"Possibly because she just barely managed to be more discreet than her alternate," he said without looking up.  
  
She sighed huffily. "I don't belong with the Leo in that dimension because I don't belong in that dimension. I don't belong with Le... Ardo in my dimension because he's just a boy."  
  
"Biologically."  
  
"Mentally! Even if he were to suddenly be physically twenty-seven like me, he'd still be fifteen! I thought we went all through this last time..."  
  
He put a stack of file folders on her lap. "I'm trying to tell you that it's in good hands. Someone every bit as bright and promising as you is in charge of it. I agree... physical age alone isn't adulthood. And I say again that it's in hand. The boy has lived past his years, but even rapid maturity is not full maturity. But there are ways..."  
  
She looked at him in horror. "No. Oh, no, no. Nope. No one is to mess with him! Let him live his life! Why would you do this?"  
  
"Do what?" he asked innocently.  
  
"I don't know! Whatever crazy thing you're doing! Ugh! I though I'd seen the weirdest things imaginable, working for Peter Walter, but you all really take the prize. What are you planning? Another horrible trauma? More pain to mature him? Hasn't he suffered enough?"  
  
"On the contrary," he said kindly. "The thing that would give him the greatest trauma has been hidden from him. He doesn't know what happened to you."  
  
She was speechless.  
  
"In fact, he little realizes it but the deal he sealed is what has led him to this. He asked Grimm to ensure your happiness. You didn't accept it, but Grimm is still bound to provide. So as they say, where a door shuts..."  
  
"A window opens..."  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"Is Grimm doing it? You said it was in the hands of someone as bright and promising as me. I don't know what that means."  
  
"Being humble?"  
  
"Shut up." She scowled down at the files. There were fingerprints in dried blood on many of them. "Ew..."  
  
"Reapers hate filling out the forms. Don't even wash up first..."  
  
"Answer my question," she muttered, looking up. "Who's doing this?"  
  
He smiled at her... at least, she was pretty sure it was a smile. "You are."  
  
"Crazy old dead guy say what..."  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Sorry..." She put her hands over her face. "This place is just too much... Tell me, how can I be doing it?"  
  
"Lina from the alternate dimension didn't appreciate Grimm's idea either."  
  
"She works here?" cried Lina.  
  
"She died. She chose what seemed like a good alternative to being a helpless spirit."  
  
"Practical..." she said faintly.  
  
"You see, it also happens that while your names are written side by side, not many names have only one written alongside. Your Peter Walter V is one of those whose name has but one written beside his... Annie."  
  
"So your grandson..."  
  
"No, the alternate of my grandson."  
  
"Alright, so you're saying that he's going to meet someone else..."  
  
"He is. And your alternate cares about his happiness. She didn't want Grimm interfering. She volunteered to fix things so that her Ardo can move on with his life. He'll meet a girl next year in the military."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"And my grandson..."  
  
"Wait... can I ask... does he have more than one name written next to his?"  
  
The old man smiled. "I almost wish I could tell you. But there's free will to reckon with."  
  
Lina swore and fought the urge to throw the files onto the floor.  
  
\----------  
  
"David..."  
  
David looked at Guy and coughed noisily.  
  
"No, you're not quite up to helping, are you?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
Guy shook his head and walked away. David doubled up and coughed sincerely after he left. He'd done it for effect in the first place, but he really was having a hard time clearing out the lingering gunk as the antibiotics did their job. He spat into a tissue and tossed it into the trash, making a face.  
  
"Are you alright?" asked a muffled voice.  
  
"Fine, Gabi. Just a little cough."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Does the dress fit okay?"  
  
"I don't know... It's tight..."  
  
She opened the door. He started to tell her to shut it but saw that she had the dress on backward, the zipper stuck halfway over her bust.  
  
"Oh... um, yeah, see, this thing goes in the back... It fits better with the boo... there's more room on the other side."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Just go back in and open the zipper and turn it around..."  
  
"That's the trouble. When it wouldn't go up I tried to make it go down and now it won't go anywhere. Can you get it to move?"  
  
I'm not ready for this... "I can get Bunny to help..."  
  
"It's pinching though."  
  
He swallowed and reached out with one hand, taking the zipper pull with his fingertips. It was stuck fast to a little satin bow on the blue underwire bra Chelsea had found for her. He was sure he was starting to sweat. He reluctantly gripped the fabric of the dress with his left hand and tugged harder with his right, finally freeing the zipper so suddenly that it opened completely, exposing her front. David closed his eyes hastily. He knew he'd seen just as much skin back when she wore the fur bikini, but a blue satin bra was not not the same as a bikini of any kind! Although, he realized, when it was the bikini, she'd technically been naked...  
  
That really didn't help.  
  
He turned away quickly. "Okay, pull off the straps and turn the dress and I'll zip up the back, okay?" he said, grabbing another tissue from his pocket to mop his face and neck.  
  
He heard fabric rustling. "Alright. Oh, you're right, there's extra space in the front. It fits much better this way!"  
  
He turned slightly, looking at her askance. Sighing with relief as the sight of her wearing the dress the right way around, he said, "Let me zip it up."  
  
She turned and he squinted at the sight of the matching panties as he hastily zipped her up. She turned back and beamed at him and he giggled.  
  
"What?" she asked, frowning. "Does it look weird?"  
  
"No! You're pretty."  
  
"I am? You said that once but you weren't well."  
  
"I won't throw up this time. No, seriously. You're really pretty. That dress looks great on you."  
  
"Thank you. I'd better go... The other girls said they'd help me with my makeup."  
  
"What? Why? You don't need any!"  
  
"I don't really know what it is, some kind of face paint I guess? They seemed really excited about it. They said they were going to make your eyes fall out."  
  
He blushed a deep royal blue. The Walter Girls were saying entirely too much these days...  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Fine," he said, embarrassed. "If you want to let them paint your face, it's okay. If you don't like it, wash it off."  
  
She smiled and he couldn't imagine makeup being able to make her more beautiful. "Alright! I'll see you at dinner. I hope your eyes don't fall out!" She gave him a quick hug, standing on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek, and hurried away. He stood watching her. That dress really was something on her...  
  
He wandered into his room and sat, staring, with a little smile on his face, until Bunny slapped him gently in the back of the head and told him to finish getting dressed.  
  



	87. Leo doesn't like being fussed, Spine's musings - NinjaPastry

"Don't- stop it! That- erg!" Leo frustratingly coughed. He smacked Guy's hand away from his face with the scissors, afraid of him cutting his head rather than his hair.  
  
"Si vous souhaitez laisser m'aider peut-être je ne vais pas vous faire de mal!" Guy shouted, annoyed. He threw a hand up and back-handed Leo on the bad side of his face. He shouted in pain and Guy grabbed his hair, cutting it off. "Beaucoup mieux ..."  
  
"Gah!" Leo yelled. Guy rolled his eyes and grabbed another chunk of his hair.  
  
"Vous êtes un gâchis et je vais vous aider alors arrêtez de battre environ idiot!" he managed before he chopped off another chunk. Leo finally calmed himself and let Guy go to work, thankful he knew French fluently.  
  
"Ne pas faire de mes cheveux aussi longtemps que le vôtre, Guy-Manuel," Leo hissed as Guy snipped and cut away.  
  
"Pas de problème." Guy continued his work and they went silent. He got the shaver and shaved some away, going off what he knew of his brother's look and what Leo's hair looked like before. He then brought the shaver to his face, leaving a bit of stubble and then put it down. Awesome.  
  
"Si vous pouviez me raser le dos, ce serait génial," Leo smiled. Guy stared at him and twirled his finger, Leo turning around. After that horrid event, Leo got up from the chair in the workshop in the basement and headed to the nearest shower, one not too far away.  
  
He turned on the light and looked at himself. Dear Cher! He looked twenty three! He ran his hand over his jaw and felt the scarred, still red, bits of his jaw leading up to his ear. By the looks of it, it rotted away. He was left earless and thankfully wasn't deaf in the hole that was left behind.  
  
He got rid of the towels and stepped into the shower, feeling clean for the day. Once he stepped out he noticed a little package on the loo seat and read the note.  
  
"J'ai remarqué que vous aviez pas de vêtements et ceux Paige amené dans la chambre de la colonne vertébrale ne semblez pas être assez grand. Tall, oui, mais pas assez grand pour contenir vos épaules. J'ai appelé un de vos amis de la base et il a envoyé des cours pour vous. J'espère que ce sont les bonnes couleurs," it read.  
  
Either Guy has terrible grammar or someone else wrote this. It was cursive, too, so maybe he read it wrong. He picked up the boxers (thankfully big enough), the grey pants, the light green-brown shirt, and the name tag. Kinglser III. Guy even threw the flower crown on top for Leo's liking.  
  
Once everything fit and was properly nice-looking, he slipped on his dogtags and his new shoes, then walked out. Guy had also changed and Tom had joined him. They looked...  
  
"Vous êtes tous les deux Daft Punk?" Leo asked. Tom looked at him and nodded, a grin on his face.  
  
"Vous n'êtes pas trop mal vous regarder," Tom replied. Leo laughed and shook his head.  
  
"Merci, je suppose." They walked upstairs as Tom tossed Guy's helmet to him. They turned the corner and they ran into Paige.  
  
"Allez-y, Tom et Guy," Leo said to them. They ran ahead and he looked at Paige with a smile. "Bonjour."  
  
"Don't pull different languages on me, mister," she scolded. "You're fixed up and everything but Peter is already worried about you... as if he didn't have enough to worry about..."  
  
"Paige, everything's fine now."  
  
"You're missing an ear."  
  
"And?"  
  
"What do we tell him?"  
  
"Um... That there was a small leakage from Spine's dying core and it got to me, making me grow."  
  
"We can't mess with his notes like that, Leo. That research has been in the workings for generations and if you say that everything will be ruined."  
  
"I honestly have no idea what happened to me, Paige, alright? I can check with someone but I can't know for sure."  
  
"Just be back in time for dinner," she huffed, turning around.  
  
Leo nodded and turned, running up the steps in search for Spine's room.  
  
=  
  
He though Jon turned him off, but he was still awake, just standing in the darkness behind the red curtain. Spine looked about his family and steamed, his green eyes lighting up everything, as dim as they were. He looked to the three girls, seeing the lacing on the back o each one's dresses. Jan had the most lacing due to her battery and everything.  
  
Janelle. Jingle. The Wheel. That beautiful smile, perfect body... Those eyes... Why hadn't he just stayed with her? There was so much there, so much to live for with her, but t faded away. He stopped. She had nightmares after that, the cars and knives and that sort of thing. It was painful see, especially when he couldn't go to her and hold her and kiss her like he used to.  
  
Hatchworth. Now he was a bundle of brother. Everything The Spine had ever wanted in life was him and that was held away for so many years, he had to confide in thinking that's what Rabbit and Jon were. But they weren't enough. He was the only one socially disrupt and mature enough to ever be a real brother with. Too bad that was so long forgotten.  
  
Rabbit. The best big brother/sister Spine could ever have. He remembered the nights staying up back in the 1890's, thinking about what lights were to them. Hope? What was hope? It was strange to think back o it now, but it was all he had to do. She was so awesome to be around, such a dork in her many ways. They day she came into the HoW wearing a dress rather than a suit, Spine cried. He loved her so much and now even more.  
  
The Jon. He... He was something. Bubbly, dangerous when given time, and all over adorable. he fact that his son was a younger version of him made him smile to think about. Jon and Spine were as thick as thieves together and would do anything for each other. Jon was the reason Spine took on the big brother persona in the first place. He needed one and Rabbit was too much of a goof to do such a thing for him.  
  
UpGrade. Beautiful, sparkling, something he's always wanted in a girl, but never enough to love. More than a sister, that is. One Halloween he kissed her on the lips, getting her to stop crying when someone kicked her and told her she was nothing more than scrap metal, just like Ma used to yell. She was so nice to him and stood for everything she wanted, making her a leader of the pack. He liked that about her.  
  
Michael Philip "One man band" Reed. Why did he do that? Late night angry driving? He was an amazing person to be around, talk to, everything, and in one second everything ended, just like that. His blue matter tubes were glowing and flickering with every spark it tried to make to wake him up, a falter in his system. He could ix that. He was always good with repairs.  
  
Matthew Elton. Spine always like the middle name, Elton. Like Elton John, an amazing musician. He looked at him now as he twitched at his drum set, stasis taking over him. He looked just like Janelle, or the other way around. An amazing friend, brother, drummer.  
  
Then came himself. The Spine Walter Squared, husband of a reaper to Death's hand. Darkness, death and souls powered him now, and nothing could stop him. His wife was barely able at times. What a sick monster he'd become. Blood was all he saw when he shut his eyes, that and fire. He looked at his family, he humans, and saw their names scratched out of the list he kept in his pocket at all times.  
  
The pain of holding back the transformation into a reaper still haunted him, taking him over at times Hopefully this time wasn't the time. This performance had to go perfectly or else nothing would go well.


	88. Who's a big boy?, Reclaiming Carolina - Whistler

"What in the name of Nikola Tesla..." gasped Peter A Walter VI.  
  
Leo laughed, a deep, rich laugh. Peter would have rather liked it, if it hadn't meant one more problem at a time when he needed no more problems. He grabbed the boy... or whatever he was... by the arm and hauled him with some difficulty out of the entrance hall.  
  
"Alright, what now? You were rolling around in a wheelchair two hours ago, on the brink of death, a hole in the back of your skull, tubes everywhere... I was feeling downright paternal toward you and now... now you look like my old college roommate!"  
  
"Wow... it feels like such a long time ago, but yeah, I guess that was just this morning..."  
  
"What do you mean, you guess?"  
  
"I mean, when I woke up, I barely remembered having been in a wheelchair, I swear. Well, that's pretty memorable, but the flower crowns... Anyway, I feel great. I can't remember the last time I felt this great."  
  
"What fairy tale hallucination have I walked into this time?"  
  
"What do you mean by 'this time?'" Leo asked, smirking.  
  
Peter executed one of his exasperated flapping maneuvers and Leo grinned.  
  
"I can almost see your expression. I didn't realize you were so short, Peter. And Paige is tiny, wow..."  
  
"Did something happen to your brain, too? Look, genius, I need you focused. More than that... I need you to be fifteen! Why aren't you fifteen?"  
  
"That's a really weird question..."  
  
"Yes, well, welcome to Walter Manor! Tell me, mister man, how old would you say you are now?"  
  
"Well, last birthday I remember..."  
  
"Yeah, fifteen, I know..."  
  
"No, in my dream. D@mn, it felt so real... I, uh... I had a few birthdays throughout..."  
  
"Pull it together."  
  
"Last one, I remember Sam saying, 'Man, when _I_ turned twenty-three...'"  
  
Peter put his hand over his mask. "This can't happen. I mean, it's weird here but this can't actually happen."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"How, Leo? How?"  
  
"I couldn't begin to tell you."  
  
"Guess."  
  
"Well... So I'm twenty-three."  
  
"Yes, got that part."  
  
"Space-time pocket?"  
  
"Have you been dreaming about watching Star Trek, too?"  
  
"Well, it's in the realm of time and space, anyway. I've passed through some eight years, physically and mentally. How else could it happen?"  
  
"But not pockets. No, we can not have broken bits of reality floating around here, it's unthinkable. Chelsea could suddenly find herself in labor in the middle of dinner! Besides, there's been no other incidents of rapid aging..."  
  
Hatchet sailed into the hallway, escorting her teenaged son to the dining room. Peter gaped, then shook his head.  
  
"No, right, they had him built that way."  
  
The boy was grumbling, "Couldn't I just go to Hogwarts?"  
  
They stopped short when they saw Peter and Leo. Hatchet looked at Leo and did a doubletake, then said rapidly, "Hogwarts isn't real, love."  
  
"It isn't? But you said..."  
  
"Come along, son!" She nodded as she hurried past. "Peter. Um... Ard... Leo... sir... um... good afternoon."  
  
Leo blinked at her, puzzled. She stared back, seemingly fascinated.  
  
"Oh, dear," she murmured, and hastily led her son into the dining room.  
  
"Oh, no..." Peter sighed. "Could it be Grimm? But why would Grimm do such a stupid thing?"  
  
Leo was staring down at him... they used to be eye to eye... with a surprised expression.  
  
"No..." Leo whispered. "Carolina..."  
  
"What."  
  
"Where is she? I remember now, no one said anything about her in all the time I was here and in my dream Paige said... that... that Carolina..."  
  
"Leo?"  
  
Leo teetered. He put one hand out and Peter caught it, stabilizing him. "No..." he murmured, anguished. In a pleading voice, he gasped, "Peter... she isn't..."  
  
"Leo... we couldn't tell you. You needed to recover..."  
  
"No, this isn't right!" he said hoarsely. "She isn't dead!"  
  
"We just don't know, Leo..." Peter gasped as Leo pulled his hand away and leaned against the wall, wheezing. Peter quickly dug his hands in Leo's pockets, relieved to find an inhaler.  
  
As Leo sucked desperately at it, Peter said, "Better? Okay, look, we are trying to trace her signal, but she got pulled into an interdimensional vortex. It wasn't the most stable thing in the first place and she was falling from an airship at the time."  
  
Leo found a chair and sat shakily in it. "Why was she up there, Peter?"  
  
"Trying to warn Professor Elemental not to go through it... He was drunk... She climbed the ladder on his airship."  
  
"You leave for a couple of days..." Leo croaked.  
  
"Steve is always saying things like that... Oh! Steve went over later and searched. She wasn't seen falling on the other side."  
  
"But she climbed the ladder on his airship, while it was moving..." Leo repeated wearily. "That's... So help me, that's really cool..." He rubbed his face. "But what have you done to find her? We have to find her!"  
  
"But if she's..."  
  
Leo looked up at him with wide eyes. "Hatchet!"  
  
Peter leaned around the door frame where the other Walter workers were trying to act like they couldn't hear. "Hatchet, could we have a minute?"  
  
"Why would Grimm waste his time on such a matter?" she asked lightly, when they'd explained the situation.  
  
"How else do you explain this?" Peter demanded.  
  
"I don't know, but my compliments on their handiwork."  
  
"You're not helping!"  
  
"Well, really, obviously someone's got an agenda but it isn't me! I already have a gorgeous slab of husband who can barely keep his hands off of me..."  
  
"Thank you for your time..."  
  
She laughed brightly, surprising them. "Oh, Petah... You're so easy to flummox. Is tha' all?"  
  
"Well... how can we find out if he's involved?"  
  
"If he is, he'll tell you. Trust me. He'll have a reason and you'll find out what. I only hope and pray it won't hurt."  
  
"That's very reassuring. I'm glad motherhood hasn't dulled your ability to rain terror upon the world."  
  
She smiled beguilingly as she turned, her tight, blood red and black velvet evening suit seeming to writhe over her body like a living thing as she moved. "So am I, duckie. Life is full of changes, some good, some not so good... Oh, and where might I find my darling husband? I went looking but there's just a curtain."  
  
"He's behind it, shut down with the others."  
  
"Oh, I doubt that. I think you'll find it next to impossible to shut him down now. But I expect he's playing along." She winked broadly at Leo and walked back into the dining room.  
  
"You mind if I skip dinner?" Leo sighed. "I just... have to think."  
  
"Leo..." Peter realized it wouldn't be any harder to explain his absence than it would be to explain a twenty-three year old adolescent with a light beard.  
  
"Alright. You'll miss the band performing..."  
  
"I know. I've missed hearing them play. It's been years..."  
  
Peter leaned back and stared at him as he got up and walked away. What Leo had called a dream was clearly anything but one... To him, eight years had really passed since he first sat in the wheelchair. But why? What possible reason, good or evil, could account for it?  
  
Unless it really was pockets of space-time...  
  
He hastily called David and Bunny on his cell and asked them to do a last minute scan... After Professor Elemental's little stunt, it was just possible.  
  
\----------  
  
Leo hurried to the most secluded place he could. He didn't need Hatchet to find out. He had to know if Carolina was there... and whether she was dead. If she was, that was it. But it couldn't be... not when he'd just come to realize what she was to him. Years had passed since then... no, right, they hadn't, how confusing... but his feelings hadn't changed. Besides, he remembered making a deal, or starting to... what had been his terms again? Well, in any case, apparently Grimm had decided their deal was complete without a signed contract, but even so, he had promised... yes, Leo remembered one important part of it, one thing he had insisted upon. How did Grimm dare let her die after that? He'd as good as sworn that something was about to happen that would bring her happiness. Even Grimm didn't play that way...  
  
And why remove the one obstacle, the one thing keeping her from being willing to be with him, when she was dead? Ah, but that he could see Grimm doing. That almost made sense. He felt Leo was promising at fifteen. At twenty-three he was more useful, and Grimm could get a laugh out of it. He knew Grimm had a sense of humor. Gallows humor.  
  
He found the room; an old lab. There was a chalkboard that still had some chalk. He grabbed a piece and drew the shape on the wall, then the knob. He could get there her way just as well as she could... he'd been dead. He still remembered that. He had died. The gateways would open for him.  
  
He rammed his shoulder into the wall and groaned. Not a good idea. He hoped kicking would be just as effective...  
  
It was. The gateway opened and he leaped through it.  
  
He waited for the change to come, but he remained the same, growing a bit darker, yes, but that was all. Puzzled, he stalked through the underworld, looking warily around him. To his surprise, however, nothing attacked. He passed a fearsome beast with more eyes than legs and watched in astonishment as it curtseyed. Unsure how to respond, he bowed politely. It rose and trundled away.  
  
"Surprised, Nardo?"  
  
"Grimm!" He turned sharply. "Please don't call me that."  
  
"I told you..."  
  
"We never sealed the agreement! I never touched the contract!"  
  
"Ah, but that's not really an issue. So many times lately I have had my hand stayed by the rules, blocked by my own laws or others so ancient that even I do not know their origins. But now law is on my side. You agreed to become my assistant. The contract was for my records, but the verbal agreement is binding. You see that the beings here already acknowledge your status. You may regard yourself as a prince among the dead. Glorious, isn't it?"  
  
He hated to admit it, but to the dark and cynical person that he had become through the hard experiences of his youth, it really did sound glorious. He felt a terrible thrill at the idea.  
  
Grimm smiled hideously, beautifully. "Yes, I see that you are pleased. I daresay I may never need another assistant now that I have you in my employ."  
  
"I am very flattered, but... there were certain terms, Grimm."  
  
"Ah, yes. That all of your sins, so to speak, be answered upon your own head alone. No problem. That you be permitted to grow up. Well?"  
  
"Ah, yes, of course. I'd forgotten. Well done. I am grown up. But the third... Carolina... where is she?"  
  
Grimm's smile flickered. "Does a bit of a human girl matter so very much now that every succubus is yours to savor?"  
  
"More than ever. Where is she?"  
  
"She is here. Does that trouble you?"  
  
"Is she dead?" Ardo asked, and to his surprise, the darkness eddied around him, pooling and rising in great clouds as his anger blossomed afresh in response to Grimm's tiresome doublespeak. "No more lies," he growled in a voice of thunder. "Where is she?"  
  
"Now don't go taxing your newfound abilities, boy. She lives."  
  
"Then send her home! The deal was that she be given something that would make her happy! You swore to it..."  
  
"And it was delivered, but she denied it. She had her chance to be in the arms of the man she loves. She tried it and denied it and came here."  
  
Ardo stared. "But... doesn't she... I thought I was the one..."  
  
Grimm sighed irritably. "So you are. She was sent to another dimension to live out her life with your double, some seven years older than the boy she felt too guilty to love properly. She spent one night in his bed and couldn't bring herself to linger."  
  
Ardo reeled. "She what?"  
  
"She wanted to believe it was the same, but after one night of his love she abandoned him."  
  
"You make it sound depraved, but she knew he wasn't me! She knew..."  
  
"Or she's just that fickle. She rejected the gift so I am free of my obligation. You may now come here to stay."  
  
"No." He saw it now. "There's a reason you're playing games. The deal was that you ensure she has the thing she needs to be happy. She doesn't have it. She isn't happy. She's here. If you don't fulfill your side of the contract, I am no longer bound to fulfill mine. What are you not telling me?"  
  
Grimm scowled, his own darkness swelling against Ardo's, making it look as though they were standing a great black swamp. "Nothing but that where one door closes, a window opens."  
  
"That again?"  
  
"Where the other Ardo was not able to make her happy..." Grimm looked up, frustrated. "You must take his place," he bit irritably.  
  
Ardo looked at him, triumphant. "You mean my own, Grimm. I take the place I was meant to take, or the contract is void."  
  
"Yes," muttered Grimm.  
  
"Really, I wonder whether you have any hold upon me at all..."  
  
"You agreed! The power is sealed upon you, as you see for yourself!"  
  
Ardo held up his hands and watched the dark power swirling across his fingertips. He could feel it. "Yes. But not yet, right?" he murmured, looking up with a smirk. "Because for her to be happy... I have to be with her, and she isn't ready to join me here."  
  
Grimm folded his arms and scowled. Ardo laughed.  
  
"Take me to her," he ordered, and Grimm glowered. Of course... he had his number, but Grimm was still his master. "Please," he added. "It's time for her... for us to go home."  
  
Grimm scowled but gave a great sweep of his arm. The dark clouds pooling around their legs passed across his vision. He was falling...  
  
He sat up. He was in Walter Manor, on the floor of the lab he had used earlier. Beside him, her dress dingy with the filth of the underworld, lay Carolina.  
  
In an instant, he lifted her in his arms. "Carolina!" he cried. "Carolina! Wake up! Wake up, please!" he begged, brushing the hair from her face, checking her pupils. She blinked and he moved his thumb quickly from her eyelid.  
  
"Leo..."  
  
"You're okay!" he laughed, holding her close.  
  
She pushed weakly at him. "No... he said my Leo was coming... I'm not supposed to be here!"  
  
"Carolina! Stop! It's me..."  
  
"I'm sorry! I never should have let you believe I could stay with you..."  
  
"Stop!" he barked, making her jump.  
  
She stared at him. "Wait..." One hand traced the scars on his face. "Leo... tell me... Is Peter married?"  
  
He snorted despite his tension. "No."  
  
"Is Bunny mute?"  
  
"Not at all."  
  
"Matt and Mike are robots..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is Sam gay?"  
  
"You'd have to ask him that... but then I don't know what he was doing with his tongue down Chelsea's throat earlier..."  
  
"Ew..."  
  
"He didn't seem to be, no."  
  
"Steve has dreads?"  
  
"Last I saw..."  
  
She stared at him. "But how can you be..."  
  
"I made a deal with Grimm. He decided it should be fulfilled faster than nature was willing to go..."  
  
"No... It wasn't that. I remember now. Your grandfather told me..."  
  
"He did? You met him?" He laughed in spite of himself. Well, all things considered, he'd have to drop in on the old man later. "How is he?"  
  
"Gruesome. Seems happy enough though..." Her face crumpled. "Leo, I'm sorry..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I... thought it would be the same... I slept with him... with the other Leo... because..." She put her hands over her face.  
  
"I know. And you realized it wasn't the same. I can't be angry at that. You had someone just like me and you still came back to me. Anyone else would have settled..."  
  
"I just feel like I betrayed you."  
  
"It's not like we had any kind of a promise between us..."  
  
"I know. But our names were written together."  
  
He didn't quite understand what that meant, but he pulled her close again, rubbing her back soothingly. She slipped her arms around him and sighed, relaxing against his chest.  
  
"Where are we, anyway?" she said, yawning.  
  
"One of the old labs... Oh, Peter V is coming back, but I've excused myself from dinner and they think you're missing, so I guess they won't be expecting us."  
  
"Good," she murmured sleepily. "I'm so tired..."  
  
He slid his free arm under her legs, got his own legs straightened out, and stood, carrying her from the dusty lab as she slipped into an exhausted doze against his shoulder.  
  
In his room, he carefully placed her on the bed and lay beside her, one arm over her. He wasn't ready to let her out of his sight... But, he realized, they would look for him, whatever Peter had said. And when they found him... well, he really shouldn't let Peter worry, especially considering how worried he seemed at the idea of space-time pockets. He kissed Carolina gently on the cheek and slipped from the bed and out of the room.  
  
He pulled out his phone. "Peter? I have some news..."  
  



	89. Flirting robots, straightening out the staff - NinjaPastry

AJ stumbled into the dinning hall, a few workers glancing at them. Hatchet pushed him to walk on, a glare at him as strong as her love for Spine (very hela strong). He adjusted his beanie and glared back at her, dipping down to avoid her when sh reached for the beanie.  
  
"Don't make me grab you," she threatened. He groaned loudly and took off the beanie, handing it to her. She nodded and He shook his head, his curls going awry. She sighed and he smiled, walking on and sitting at the table.  
  
"So, papa, if yer awake, poke the curtain," AJ instructed. He watched and Spine replied with a poke to the velvet curtain. Hatchet smiled and sat beside her son, crossing her legs and biting her lip a tad before looking around and clearing her throat.  
  
"Having fun back there?" the lady asked.  
  
"So much fun, you won't be able to handle it," Spine laughed. Hatchet smiled and AJ sighed, sinking into his seat and facing the table rather than the stage.  
  
"You're going to like m' dress," she grinned, running a hand down her leg. She loved the black silk dress and red velvet top. Beautiful was all she could think, but she couldn't wait until Spine saw it.  
  
"I will? Well, you're going to like what's after this horrid event in which I either kill someone or get asked to leave by Five."  
  
"Is... is that an accent I hear coming on?" Hatchet asked, a grin stuck to her face. She leaned her head in and stood, walking to the stage and the curtain. "Kneel down, lemme hear your voice again."  
  
Spine sighed and knelt upon the stage, Hatchet pressing the side of her face against the curtain. Spine smiled and blew smoke, then thought of what to say. That he loves her? She knows that. He says it plenty. She's beautiful? She knows that very well.  
  
"You have great abs," he laughed, Hatchet bursting out in laughter. She held a hand to her face and snorted, Spine falling back onto his bum with a chuckle.  
  
"You're becoming an Irish, laddie," she laughed. AJ looked behind him and Spine continued to laugh.  
  
"Poe-tay-toes," Spine droned. Hatchet laughed again and sat back down. "Mash 'em, boil 'em, cook 'em in a stew!"  
  
"Stop it," she laughed, "You're making me cry!!"  
  
"Fine," Spine smiled from behind the curtain, trapped within the darkness. "If only I could see you right now, my beauty."  
  
"You will soon, love," she replied. AJ rolled his eyes and put his head upon the table. Peter, phone slipping int his pocket, walked back into the dining hall and saw Hatchet gleaming at the curtain. She was having fu- woah she's pretty... Her hair fell from her head in auburn waterfalls and curls like Marilyn Monroe. Her lips were shimmering and her face so smooth of the scratches she looked freshly built and polished.  
  
Her dress, well, was amazing, really. A small little hood was fashioned upon the top of her head from the dress and the tip sat upon the little button of a nose she had. She had golden shoulder pads, as always, and hanging from them were black stings that held sleeves with no use but to hide the lack of blue matter tubing up her arms.  
  
Her busty chest was covered with a red velvet top about the size of a sports bra and had gold metal outlining the top and bottom. Her stomach was covered with what looked like a rib-cage and hips to go along with hers over a black cloth in gold metal. The dress part was red velvet that bled int black silk, moving with every churning cog within her small frame. ((https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 8625_n.jpg))  
  
Peter stared. Bri walked past him and bumped into his shoulder on accident and he snapped out of it, thankful she couldn't see the look he was giving her. Hatchet, that is.  
  
"Any news on Carolina?" Bri asked.  
  
"Not yet. I'm scanning everything now... Have you seen Leo?"  
  
"No, but I think he was in Lab 3," she replied, running to the kitchen. "See ya!"  
  
"See ya," he said back. He walked out of the dining hall and into the front room. Pruitt, Meg, Paige and Tom (helmet and shiny gloves on) stood at the front door, waiting. Guy walked up to Tom from the other room and poked his shoulder, then pointed at Peter.  
  
They said something back and forth, then Tom walked over to the third masked man of the room.  
  
"I feel like we need to put something on our faces to fit in," Paige cracked. The girls snickered and Peter shook his head.  
  
"Yes, Tom?" he asked.  
  
"When are they coming?" he asked. "You said they would be here by now."  
  
"I said to wait from now until 6:30. They said six, but knowing my father.."  
  
"So what do we do here?"  
  
"I guess you could... um... what's that one song?"  
  
"Which one, Peter. We have four albums..."  
  
"Work it harder make it better do it faster..." Peter obviously tried, for they could see the steam rising from his head as the gears in his head struggled to turn.  
  
"Harder Better Faster Stronger?" Tom asked. Peter nodded and looked back at Guy.  
  
"Quoi?"  
  
"Améliorez plus dur," Tom said back to him.  
  
"Pourquoi?"  
  
Tom turned to Peter. "Yeah, why?"  
  
"I dunno sing it or something. Entertain the girls. Make sure Pruitt doesn't suck anyone's blood."  
  
"My eyes aren't white, Peter," she yelled. "I don't need to feed!"  
  
"But we all know Paula and Lizzie do."  
  
"Don't bring them into this," she yelled at him, now getting frustrated.  
  
"Either they go in the vaults or you take them to their rooms, Pruitt. We're not having a blood bath tonight."  
  
"Tell that to Hatchet, Spine, and Admin," she laughed.  
  
"Okay okay," Tom stopped them, "We'll sing the song for them. Go back to whatever you're doing."  
  
Peter nodded and ran off. "It's nearly 6 so watch for them!" he yelled before leaving the front room.  
  



	90. Getting ready for dinner, flirting with Gabi - Whistler

Peter's phone rang. "Peter? I have some news..."  
  
Thirty seconds later, the phone slipped from Peter's unresisting fingers. He scrambled to pick it up.  
  
"Say that again..."  
  
He arrived in Leo's room five minutes later, half-dragging Bunny, who carried a blue satin dress and matching shoes. They stopped in the doorway and stared.  
  
"Thank heaven..." gasped Bunny. Peter looked at her.  
  
"You were blaming yourself, weren't you?" he asked.  
  
"Well, yeah! Anything happens to a Walter Girl and I blame myself! Only this was special. I was going to climb the ladder and she beat me to it, Peter. How could I not blame myself?"  
  
He would have hugged her if he didn't know she'd deck him for it. He'd been blaming himself, too. Sam sometimes called them The Blame Team, including The Spine in the grouping... though whether the silver automaton blamed himself for anything anymore was very much in question.  
  
"I'll explain later, alright?" Leo said. "I know you have to get to dinner..."  
  
"But..."  
  
"What's with the dress?"  
  
"Leo, this is big. He's almost here!"  
  
Leo raised his eyebrows. "She's been through He!!, Peter! Literally! You telling me you expect her to come to dinner?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
Carolina stirred. "Oh... Peter!" she said sleepily. "I am so glad to see that stupid mask! Bunny..."  
  
Bunny hurried in and sat on the bed. "I ought to smack you," she muttered. "I sent you into the house..."  
  
Carolina laughed joyously and hugged Bunny, startling her. "That weird contralto voice! I missed it!"  
  
"Um... thanks?"  
  
"Leo?" Carolina said suddenly.  
  
"Here," he said, behind her.  
  
She turned and sighed. "I didn't dream it... what happened to you again?"  
  
"No time to explain now," he said, sarcasm in every syllable. "His Majesty requires your presence at dinner."  
  
"Really, Leo?"  
  
"Oh! No, I'd love to come to dinner! Oh, I haven't eaten since..." Her stomach growled as if in support.  
  
"We can have something brought here, Carolina," Leo said firmly, glaring at Peter.  
  
"That's sweet, but I want to see everyone. Oh... I want to see them so much, I have to know it's real."  
  
Peter folded his arms. Leo sighed deeply.  
  
"Of course," he said, relenting. "If that's what you want."  
  
Carolina smiled and held her hand out to him. His surly expression softened and he took her hand and kissed it. Peter and Bunny exchanged glances... face to mask, at least.  
  
"Come on," said Bunny. "I brought that blue dress that looks so pretty on you."  
  
"Oh, the low cut one... but it's so tight on me..."  
  
"Peter and I will get out of your way," Leo said suddenly, taking Peter by the arm and hurrying out.  
  
As he was rushed away, Peter heard Bunny laugh and say, "Exactly."  
  
\----------  
  
David was sitting beside Gabi, showing her little tricks.  
  
"This one I learned..." *cough* "...from The Spine."  
  
"Oh! It looks like you took off your thumb!" she crowed, bobbing as she laughed. A giddy smile of delight lit his face as he watched her.  
  
"What?" she asked, blushing.  
  
"I just... never got that great of a reaction from that trick. I mean, The Spine once tricked a guy into thinking he was a wizard doing it, but..."  
  
"You have wizards?"  
  
He giggled. "No, that was why it was so funny."  
  
AJ, on the other side of the table, snorted. David stiffened.  
  
"You have something to add, little guy?" David asked with forced politeness.  
  
"Nothing." He winked at Gabi.  
  
Gabi leaned over to David, "Isn't he a cute little thing?" she whispered.  
  
David didn't want to answer the question. He'd heard the teen-bot was a terrible flirt, and the fact that he was just making some progress himself made him especially interested in avoiding any interference.  
  
Fortunately, AJ was far too teenaged to let her comment pass. "So I'm a thing, eh?" he growled, his accent coming on thicker with every word. "I'm jus' a tin can, is that it? Gonna store yehr leftover beans in meh? Expect I'll despense sodies for yeh?"  
  
"She didn't mean..." David said hastily, darkly relieved that he wouldn't need to spend dinner trying to out-charm the son of two embarrassingly sexy robots.  
  
One of these robots, next to her son, turned now from giggling inexplicably at the velvet curtain, gave her bodice a modest but totally insufficient tug, and flipped her son sharply in the temple. "Give over, boy!" she said sternly. "You're startin' to sound like a Nac Mac Feegle.* Sorry, love, he's new," she added, to Gabi. "You can go back to your foreplay." She turned, smiling, to the curtain.  
  
"Muuum," groaned AJ, putting his hands over his face.  
  
"To... to what?" Gabi whispered.  
  
David, blushing harder than he had in his life, muttered, "Let's go sit down at the other end of the table..."  
  
"But there's little cards here that say..."  
  
"Don't care. Come on."  
  
Peter, who had walked in with Leo just in time to hear the end of the exchange, murmured, "Kill me now, Leo. Something quick and painless. I know you know how..."  
  
Leo, chuckling, said, "You'll survive the evening, Peter."  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of."  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *http://discworld.wikia.com/wiki/Nac_Mac_Feegle


	91. Five, meeting the family, boyfriend at last - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I laughed so hard at the Nac ref. Also, Tiimy is from Feast of Fiction, Ro is from Nerdy Nummies, and Tiff is iHasCupquake, all on Youtube

"Bonjour," Tom said cheerily. Some voices were heard in the front hall and Peter froze up. Leo looked behind him and then smiled at Peter. "Let me take that for you," they heard Tom add  
  
"Go ahead, dad. You've got family over," Leo smiled. Peter sighed deeply and shook his hands out, walking back to the front hall. "Alright everyone!" Leo shouted, "They're here! Kitchen crew, Timmy, Ro and Tiff! Status!"  
  
"All ready!" Timmy called, shaking his black hair from his face. Tiff and Ro cackled from inside the kitchen, their sweet voices making Timmy smile. "I have two girls and a cake back here ready for show!" Ro threw a whisk and him and it hit him in the back of the head. He yelled and then turned back around, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Awesome. Hatchet, how's Spine doing in there?"  
  
"Sexy," she replied. AJ sighed loudly, putting his forehead upon the table.  
  
"Great? Alright. Workers, let's make this happen."  
  
Peter smiled behind his mask, his father, tall lean and a brown haired goatee upon his long face, laughed heartily once he saw his son. Annie, long red-ish hair curled at the ends, smiled brightly. She threw her arms around Peter and he hugged her tightly.  
  
"Oh, Peter! I'm so glad to see you," she gushed. Peter laughed and Five smiled. Once Annie let go of him he grabbed his son and brought him into a great hug, one Peter had missed.  
  
"Hi dad," he laughed. Paige and Meg took the smaller suitcases while Tom, Guy, and Pruitt took the bigger ones, heading up to their room.  
  
"How were your travels?" Six asked once Five let him go.  
  
"Wonderful! We stopped by Kazooland and met with UpGrade and The Jon a time or two and saw all of the 8th dimension!"  
  
"We used our friend's portal to return. They were holding on to our Cav mail for us," Annie added.  
  
"Well, welcome home," Six smiled. They started walking to the dining hall and the kitchen workers were bringing out the plates. Seared bass with corn flour paste, mango salad, potato skins and a little dash of a garlic butter glaze. The two smiled and peter cheered silently behind them.  
  
"Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Walter," Hatchet greeted. She walked to them and held her hand out. "I'm Hatchet Walter, The Spine's wife."  
  
"W-wife?" Five asked. "Hatchet? I've seen your blueprints. Last time I was around you were missing from the workshop closet and no one could find you..."  
  
"I was stolen," she sighed. "But I made mends and now I'm here. This is our son, Admin Jon," she smiled. AJ looked at them and stuck his tongue out.  
  
"Boy, you are just asking for it, aren't ye?" she hissed. She turned back to Five and Annie and laughed. "Teenagers."  
  
"Glad to see Spine has a little family," Annie smiled. "Quite unexpected, but sweet."  
  
"Quite so," Five chimed. "Mind if I take a look over you and your son, Ms. Walter?"  
  
"Walter Squared, actually, but not at all. Some things you'll need a hefty explanation for, but it's all good here."  
  
"Wonderful!" he laughed. They walked on and met up with David and Gabi once Sam, Chels, Bun, and Carolina walked in. Leo walked over to Carolina and held her hands, smiling down at her. She smiled sleepily and Leo laughed.  
  
"Tired?"  
  
"Very. Are they here?"  
  
"Yes, and you look dashing. Thank you, Bunny," he called to her. She smiled and waved, then headed over to Carissa. They all took their seats and Peter sat in between Hatchet and his father, facing the stage. Thomas and Guy-Manuel walked onto the apron of the stage and waved, looking to each other. Jon and a guest chef of the kitchen, J.E.N., walked upon stage beside them.  
  
"Bonjour, everyone," Tom waved.  
  
"Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Walter!" Guy-Man examined.  
  
"In honor of your return home, the robots of the Walter Manor have gotten upon stage to perform for you," Jon said, looking to Jen.  
  
"While you enjoy your food that my team has made for you," she said proudly, "Please, enjoy the show."  
  
Jen and Thomas got off the stage, Jon and Guy pulling the curtain back and walking about, powering everyone on. Steam filled the air and engines revved, Annie and Five gasping at the sight of Michael and Matt in metallic faces and suits.  
  
"What on earth happened to them?" Annie cried.  
  
"They got in a car crash and died," Peter Six said nervously. "Also, the girl at the end there is Matt's little sister. He's the new drummer and... it's hard to explain. They can tell you later," Peter sighed. "Just... enjoy the show..."  
  
Jon and Guy stood at the front of the stage, smiling. Well, no one could see Guy-Man's face, but the way his gloved hands were tapping their fingers against one another. "You see now all of the Walter Steam Automatons, made for your entertainment."  
  
"From 1896 to 2014 there's been 12 Walter Robots built and 11 of them still function today," Jon seconded.  
  
"Now 8 of them are here for you. We bring you, Steam Powered Giraffe!" Guy shouted in his French accent. They walked off and the robots nodded to each other, then Janelle put a finger to the dub board.  
  
A slight synth sound started and when she put the next one upon it it started getting stronger, Matt getting his beat and Michael getting his keys in. It was a funky little jam until Spine started with his guitar and Jon joined in with the mandolin. Rabbit pressed upon her keytaurus making Hatchy strum his bass, UpGrade adding her tambourine.  
  
They made a few chords, then all went silent. Spine stepped forward, looking straight at Hatchet before strumming. "Oh... Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? I ask myself that everyday," he sang in pure silence. Janelle hit a pad and Rabbit joined with her keys, music filling the dining hall as people ate their food.  
  
Hatchet sighed dreamily as Spine gave her a smirk and strummed the next chord. He hesitated, looked to the others, then the whole thing jumped up and everyone was soon tapping their feet to the beat.  
  
Leo sat with Carolina, no one beside them. At the very end of a table, no one next to them, they ate in silence. Every other bite Leo would look at her and smile to himself. It felt like years since he'd seen her beautiful face and that dress was stunning on her.  
  
She kept looking at him, amazed with how perfect he still looked. There had to be something in the Kinglser gene pool that made them age so handsomely. Despite the lack of an ear, his face was perfect. The scars were kinda cute and his eyes were beautiful. His brown hair was so silky she wanted to pet it and his eyes shimmered with love for her, making her smile. His skin, peachy and soft, was amazing to look at.  
  
"I love you," Leo blurted. Carolina nearly choked on the mango salad and looked at him with wide brown eyes.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said I love you."  
  
She looked at him. Was this the right Leo? With years to think about it, she supposed this would be something he'd say...  
  
"I love you, too," she smiled.  
  
"Kiss me?" he asked awkwardly. Yet in all the eight years he still wasn't socially acceptable to cute girls.  
  
She leaned in and kissed him, Leo kissing back. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in closer to him. They broke the kiss and she looked at him, blushing a very bright blue. Leo laughed, red himself, and booped her nose with his finger.  
  
"Be my boyfriend?" she asked him. He nodded and let go of her, scooting her chair closer to him. They continued to eat and looked around, thankful they were at the very back.  
  



	92. Inventory, Before the kiss, a recap, They're at it again - Whistler

Carolina looked up, her cheeks still flushed from the kiss, and saw Annie looking back at her. For a moment she could almost see the woman crossing a name off of a mental list... but she smiled back at Carolina and gave a little wink before turning back to the robots. Carolina sighed with deep relief. Leo's interesting transformation couldn't have come at a better time, in more ways than one!  
  
Annie, meanwhile, was peering around the room, taking inventory. Hatchet... really quite lovely, but robotic and worse, married. Curious dark effect around the outside of her eyes... no matter. Moving on.  
  
Chelsea. Oh, wasn't she just darling! They had met only briefly before dinner but... Oh... What was this?  
  
She tapped her husband on the shoulder. "Wasn't there a rule about fraternizing among staff members?" she murmured.  
  
Five looked reluctantly in the direction she indicated... Sam had turned his chair so that he could lean around the back of Chelsea's and wrap his arms around her shoulders. He wasn't even bothering to check where his hands were... Annie couldn't help noticing they rested gently on the Walter Girl's bust as Sam watched the band performing. Chelsea took hold of one of his and kissed it lightly.  
  
Peter V shrugged and turned back to The Spine's singing. "Technically. And no one ever followed it."  
  
She giggled softly and leaned on the table, crossing Chelsea off of her list as well. It was nice to see _someone_ in the Manor happily involved in a relationship...  
  
There were two lovely girls near them. Bunny had become such a fine woman... though not in the manner one would expect... Ah, but she remembered something about her liking girls. She'd made quite a fuss about it. Yes, Bunny was a woman now, but she still liked girls. That must mean... yes, she now saw that Bunny was holding hands with the sweet-faced girl beside her.  
  
Two more names crossed off... well, if she had known the other girl's name, she'd have crossed it off. Annie felt like swearing. At this rate, she was never going to be a grandmother!  
  
There was another one with horns sitting beside Bunny's twin brother. Horns! That was new! Well, that would be quite cute on a grandbaby... As she watched, however, the tiny woman with little horns turned and looked at Matter Master David with a look of unmistakeable adoration.  
  
For crying out loud! Were they all paired off?  
  
Well, there were more of them around... Paige, Bry... who else? Why were there so many? Ah, but that meant there were more to choose from. So why didn't Peter choose one already? Was it that mask? That didn't keep him from having children...  
  
The song ended and the band bowed as the diners applauded. The robots trickled down from the stage to join them. Water was poured for each of the steam powered models, in fancy glasses befitting the occasion.  
  
"Well done!" cried Five. "Better than ever. Spine, you're in particularly good voice..."  
  
"Thank you, sir," The Spine intoned, sitting beside his wife. She pulled him in for a kiss. Annie beamed at them.  
  
"Oh! Isn't it just lovely to see that, Peter?" she said. "Look at them, son..."  
  
"I am looking at them, Mom..." Peter muttered in a voice that suggested he wished he weren't.  
  
That mask again! "Oh... yes of course..."  
  
"So, Peter... there's been a few changes since we left," Five said.  
  
"Oh, yes. There have," Peter said with forced lightness, poking at his fish.  
  
"I see quite a few right here at the table..."  
  
"Do you?" He raised his fork as if to take a bite, then put it back down again by necessity.  
  
Rabbit sank down in her chair until her ears were all that showed.  
  
"Rabbit, what's the matter with you?" asked The Spine, pulling her up by the ears.  
  
"Hey! Yehr g-g-g-gonna pull 'em off!" she snapped, swatting at his hand.  
  
"Rabbit? Is something worrying you?" asked Five.  
  
"N-no..."  
  
"Come on, now. We've known each other too long..."  
  
Rabbit mumbled something.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Are you m-m-mad?" she said in a very small voice.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Me... havin' boobies..."  
  
Five coughed and hastily took a drink of water. When he recovered, he said with a laugh, "You're a robot! You can be whatever you want, it isn't like your hardware changes."  
  
"Oh, yeah..." Content, she sat up in her seat and started trying to hang her spoon from her nose.  
  
"And Spine... you've married our Hatchet?" asked Five.  
  
The Spine took hold if his wife's hand and smiled a little shyly. "Yes, sir. I hope you approve..."  
  
"Of course..." Five began.  
  
The Spine sipped his water.  
  
"Not troubled by the whole idea of being her brother then?" Annie asked.  
  
The Spine choked in much the same way Five had just done with his meal, but instead of being amused, he turned toward her with a look that made everyone on her side of the table gasp.  
  
"What?" he asked darkly.  
  
"Love, please..." Hatchet murmured, laying her hand on his arm soothingly.  
  
"Oh, now, don't take it the wrong way..." Annie babbled, unable to take her eyes off his lethal stare. Weren't his eyes suppose to glow green? She could have sworn... "I just meant that you regard Rabbit as your sister, so Hatchet naturally... Well, I can't help it, it's a difficult situation, surely you must agree?"  
  
"I must, must I?" he asked very quietly, eyes narrowed. His voice almost crackled with barely suppressed anger. Tiny curlicues of blackness began to trickle from his eyes.  
  
"Spine, stop this! Peter, what's wrong with his eyes?"  
  
"Spine..." begged Peter.  
  
Annie was babbling in terror now, seemingly unable to stop digging the hole deeper. "But... I'm not saying it's bad, only if people were to find out... I don't mean to criticize but..."  
  
The Spine looked at them sharply and stood. "I hadn't realized there was a code of moral conduct for robotic marriages," he said with the coldness of a long abandoned sepulchre. "We happen to love each other." The darkness had spread beyond his eyes, which were now solid, shining pools of black.  
  
Annie cried out and covered her face. "Oh, make him stop, Peter! What have you all been up to while we were gone?"  
  
"I've been doing pretty well," said Little Steve brightly, sitting beside Paige's dinner plate. He straightened an oversized bow tie. "Y'know... same old thing. Then one day, you have a wrestling match with a hot mama and the next thing you know you're dead... sort of like Gomez over there."  
  
Paige shushed him hastily. The Spine stood glaring at Annie, his hands in fists. Coils of dark mist began to rise from them. Five gaped, horrified.  
  
"Spine! It's me... Good lord, what's happened to you?" he cried, putting his arm around Annie. "This is Annie, Spine! Annie, not some stranger!"  
  
The Spine looked at Five. His expression grew uncertain. His eyebrows rose in a look of of pained remorse. He closed his eyes and turned away.  
  
"I... I'm sorry..." he whispered. He strode from the room with everyone staring after him. Hatchet looked swiftly around the table, her face inscrutable, and vanished in a swirl of dark vapor. A wind blew stiffly along the table and out the door after The Spine.  
  
Those that weren't in a state of total shock turned to look at AJ, who smiled nervously.  
  
"Um... didn't know she could do that. So... Dad's got a bit of temper... Better not tell him about the broken vase, eh?"  
  
Rabbit giggled nervously. Everyone else stared.  
  
"Thank you, I'll be here all week..." AJ said weakly, sinking lower in his chair.  
  
"Dad, I am so sorry..." Peter began.  
  
"Why should you be?" cried a shrill, angry voice. "Why should they be either? If Hatchet hadn't been locked up for all those years, maybe she would have been his sister!"  
  
Shocked faces turned to Hatchworth. His fists were balled up and quivering. "Instead, she was practically a stranger, so why shouldn't they love each other? It isn't as though they have DNA to share, or diseases to pass to their children! It's... it's like she was adopted! There's nothing wrong with marrying that kind of sister, if they love each other! Why should the mean lady make them sad?"  
  
"Hatchy, that's enough..." Peter said quickly.  
  
Hatchworth shot steam from his stovepipe and scowled impressively.  
  
"No, Peter... Me and my big mouth," murmured Annie. "Of course, Hatchworth. I didn't mean..." She sighed and turned to AJ. "I'm sorry, young man. I meant no insult to your parents..."  
  
AJ shrugged.  
  
Annie looked very pale, but continued, "I don't pretend to understand what's happened to him, though... Oh, Peter, is he alright? That was... that was horrific!"  
  
All eyes turned to Peter A Walter VI. He turned his masked face from side to side, looking at everyone.  
  
"Alright..." he said slowly. "Dad, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."  
  
"About The Spine..."  
  
Peter hung his head and laughed dryly for a moment. "At least." He tipped his head up, stood, drew a great gasp of air, and began.  
  
"Dad, Michael and Matt were involved in a fatal car accident..."  
  
"I know, you said..."  
  
"I was able to use a new scientific procedure, and by scientific I mean the kind of science that walks where only God should tread, to draw off their consciousnesses and store them, but I wasn't careful enough with the coding and Rabbit just had to go looking for her old download of Pong..."  
  
"Hey!" snapped Rabbit, the spoon dropping from her nose noisily.  
  
"Which launched Michael into the radio waves and clear to England where he was found by another robotics genius named Dr. Carol Lennox, who used one of her automatons to bring him back here, and as a result is currently engaged to Steve Negrete..."  
  
"The doctor or the automaton?" asked Five, bewildered.  
  
"The doctor."  
  
"Steve who?" asked Annie.  
  
"Our intern from Snornia."  
  
"Oh, right, the dragon."  
  
Bunny looked at David indignantly and hissed, "Did everyone know but us?" He just shook his head.  
  
"And Matt ended up in Bip so we had to send the robots in to get him only they got two mimes instead because Matt was drawn toward his interdimensional double..."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Five said, as though his son had said, "Because he likes cheese."  
  
"But then we found out The Spine was married to a Reaper, as in a reaper of souls kind of reaper, so of course we had to stop her, but then The Spine was really upset and wanted to kill me after he got back, but then we discovered that Rabbit had been shot!"  
  
"Oh, my..." murmured Annie.  
  
"Yes. Fortunately she was only superficially damaged which is more than I can say for myself because apparently I had foaming dog fever or something and thankfully Leo found the antidote so that Hatchet had no need to reap my soul..."  
  
"Oh, Peter!" gasped Annie.  
  
"But you said you stopped her..." Five said.  
  
"Turns out that's really hard to do. Where was I? Ah, yes, so we didn't kill her but she's been spending most of her time since then with her husband..." He flicked a glance at AJ. "Busy. Very busy. Oh, so then all the ladies went and got possessed by she-demons and... I'd rather not elaborate but Carolina cleared them out, only Steve set his room on fire burning his fiancee to save her life and Leo nearly died from a massive asthma attack, and yet didn't thanks to Hatchet, just so you know." He turned his mask to his mother and entirely failed to glare at her sternly. She frowned.  
  
"And Carolina went to see him after he got out of the hospital all while David... David decided to help The Spine and Hatchet have a little family with consulting me..."  
  
AJ sank even lower in his seat. Janelle, to his surprise, reached across the table and patted his hand. He flinched but smiled weakly..  
  
"Me, too, Peter," Bunny said wearily.  
  
"I'd assumed. The Dynamic Duo. So I sent David to visit The Jon... oh, he and Upgrade are living in Biscuit Town now... only the page blew over and I sent him to Lotsasand instead..."  
  
"That makes no..."  
  
"New Pieland. That's closer in the alphabet."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"And by the time we got he idiot back..." David raised an eyebrow and Gabi glared. "He had a sunburn and pneumonia and a girlfriend..." Now Gabi glared and blushed. "And Hatchworth fell in love with a Sand Witch..."  
  
"Hatchworth fell in love with a sandwich?" Annie said, perplexed.  
  
"I can't say that I'm surprised..." Five murmured.  
  
"No, that's... no, of course not a sandwich, she's a... witch who lives in the desert."  
  
Five snickered. Hatchworth had his hands over his face in embarrassment. No one had said before that he had fallen in love... Plumes of steam rose from his stovepipe. Rabbit patted him reassuringly.  
  
"So then Steve asked Carol to marry him... I covered that already... and it turns out she had a boyfriend... no, wait, a suitor, she wasn't that into him..."  
  
"Hey, where is Steve, anyway?" asked Lil Steve.  
  
"Carol and Steve went to ask Professor Elemental about Carolina."  
  
Lil Steve snorted. "Sorry I'm missing that..."  
  
"Hush," she whispered.  
  
Peter shook his head. "So Professor Elemental..."  
  
"Wait, that strange man from England who got into the Cavalcadium on a dare?"  
  
Sam snorted with laughter. Chelsea elbowed him.  
  
"Yeah, him, so he showed up here in his airship by passing through a portal and punched Steve in the mouth..."  
  
"Was he crazy?" gasped Annie.  
  
"Drunk."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"And Leo died..."  
  
"What?" cried the older couple as one.  
  
"Oh, he was accidentally shot while he was living away from the Manor. Well, they revived him, but Carolina thought..."  
  
He was interrupted by a muffled sob. They all looked at Carolina. Leo put his arms around her and held her close, whispering, "I'm sorry... you've hurt so much because of me."  
  
"Oh shut up," she said without venom, resting against his chest.  
  
"Right, there, see, she was very upset. So Bunny brought her home in time to see that drunken fool trying to fly right back home again after less than twelve hours to allow space time to heal itself..."  
  
"Good grief!" cried his father.  
  
"I know, right? So Carolina tried climbing the ladder but she fell and got zapped through the vortex and... I don't actually know where she's been for the last twenty-four hours..."  
  
Everyone looked at Carolina again.  
  
"Is that all it's been?" she asked, yawning.  
  
"And apparently I'm not going to for a while. So Leo came home from the hospital..."  
  
"But he'd nearly died!" cried Annie.  
  
"That's what I was saying, Mom. But there he was, apparently the hospital people were so freaked out by his recovery... so he falls asleep in his wheelchair and wakes up twenty-three, if you can believe that..."  
  
"Wasn't he already?" asked Five blankly.  
  
"No, fifteen. But he swore when he woke that eight years had passed and I'm too tired to argue at this point. I don't actually feel all that well, to tell you the truth."  
  
He wobbled and clutched at the table. Bunny and Carissa rose and hurried to ease him into his chair as his mother arrived to scold him.  
  
"What in the world are you doing to yourself, Peter Alexander Walter VI!" she said sternly.  
  
"Sorry, Mom..." he said meekly. "I wanted tonight to be perfect... I'm just a little tired."  
  
"Idiot boy," she sighed. "You need to eat!"  
  
"I will. Well, everyone, did I get all of it?"  
  
"Well..." said Bunny, sitting back down.  
  
"I... I'm pregnant..." Chelsea said reluctantly.  
  
"I pulled AJ's head off," Janelle muttered. AJ rubbed at his neck uneasily.  
  
"I... uh... teased her," he admitted. "Sorry."  
  
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't get near anyone!" she cried suddenly, burying her head in her arms.  
  
"I miss Tabytha..." Hatchworth whispered. Rabbit grinned at him.  
  
"I unrolled all the toilet paper in bathroom seven!" she crowed. They stared at her. "What? I wanted to have one too."  
  
"I died," said Lil Steve. "It was wicked."  
  
Five and Annie looked around at all of them in silence. There was a flash and Steve and Carol appeared, hand in hand.  
  
"Hey! Just in time for dinner..."  
  
"Oh, Steven, how can we even think about dinner when poor Carolina..." Carol stopped, staring, at the sight of the missing woman, who had fallen asleep in Leo's arms.  
  
"Leo... what a growth spurt, dude!" Steve said with a grin.  
  
Carol's lip trembled and she pulled out a tissue. "I was so worried!" she said thickly.  
  
Leo smiled. "So was I."  
  
"Well, sit down and have something," Peter sighed wearily. "I'll do my best to eat, Mom, go ahead and sit down, okay? There's cake later."  
  
"What about The Spine?" asked Annie, sitting.  
  
"Ah, yes. That's... the really complicated bit. I'd prefer to explain it later... without children present."  
  
"Well... should we go after him?"  
  
"Uh, no. Hatchet's gone after him already. And I make it a practice never to follow the two of them anywhere unless I've been invited. Trust me, it's a good rule to follow."  
  
"But..."  
  
"They don't eat anyway. Well, they don't have to..."  
  
"I'm gonna," said AJ. "They built me with taste buds."  
  
Carol stared at him. "Steven, would you look at the lad! Oh my goodness, aren't you amazing?"  
  
AJ blinked at her as she sank into his mother's vacated chair, examining him raptly. Steve, beaming, joined her.  
  
"Who's the kid?" he asked.  
  
AJ stared at him. "Are you really a dragon?"  
  
Steve winked, and his brown eyes flashed flame red with slit pupils. AJ gasped and held out his hand.  
  
"I'm Admin Jon Walter Squared! I am delighted to meet you, sir!"  
  
Across the table, Michael Reed roared with laughter.  
  
\----------  
  
"Darling!" Hatchet called.  
  
The Spine didn't stop.  
  
"Spine!"  
  
He ignored her. She rushed after him.  
  
"Slow down, for the love of-"  
  
He stopped at their doorway and she slammed into his back, lost her balance, and started to fall. In an instant, he turned and caught her. She gasped as she looked into his face. His eyes were black, inky lines crawling along his metal skin, dark mists rising from every vent. She could hear the wails of the dead, loud enough to be heard over her own. It took her breath away... or would have if she'd had any to take.  
  
"I can't stop it..." he groaned, his voice sounding like a roar mingled with the rushing of wind. "I was so angry... I can't control it!"  
  
"Don't then..." she gasped as he held her by the arms, black tears of despair sliding down his cheeks. "Not with me."  
  
She knew what needed to happen. She kissed him and his body shuddered in response. He backed away, shaking his head.  
  
"But Peter..." he growled, sounding now more like an infernal beast than man or robot, "the fifth, I mean... I almost... it's getting so hard... help me, Hatchet..."  
  
"It's a matter of learning control over time," she breathed, reaching for him, pulling him closer. She wanted to help him, to comfort him, but there was so much more to it. He was so wonderfully sinister this way... it made her crazy. "But you can't do it all at once... you have to release energies, remember? Let me help you, my love... The way you helped me."  
  
He stared at her, his eyes pleading. "Yes... yes, now, Hatchet... I... I want to apologize to them but... I can't go back like this..."  
  
"Yes, I know." As if she would miss this opportunity! He got more attractive every time it happened. She kissed him again and felt the dark energy swirl around her. Such strength! No wonder Grimm had been so eager to have The Spine in good repair. When would he be subjecting him to his trial? He hadn't mentioned it...  
  
The Spine clutched at her desperately, holding her so tightly that it hurt her. She cried out, muffled against his lips, but didn't pull away. She could handle it... just as he had. He didn't stop, made no attempt to apologize, just kissed her again and again... and she understood. Too well.  
  
"Not here, love," she gasped between kisses. She heard a tiny tearing sound. "Oh! No, you can do your worst to me but not my beautiful new dress, you idiot! Just get into the room and I'll take this off myself, don't you dare tear another stitch!"  
  
He nodded, exerting incredible control just to be able to stop long enough to carry her into their room, ignoring his hat as it tumbled off with the effort. She kicked the door shut as she passed, knocking his fallen Fedora out into the hall. He made no move to go out after it.  
  
Well, she thought, hastily unfastening her bodice, maybe they would get back in time for cake.  
  



	93. Staff talk, Awkward talk with mom and dad, positively filthy robots (wink), flashback - NinjaPastry

"Isn't your name Jimmy Wong?" Ro asked, her curly brown hair pulled back into a cute little pony tail. She was wearing a pink, flowery apron that contrasted against her blue dress with long sleeves.  
  
"Yeah," Tiffany added, "and your older brother is Freddie Wong." She smiled, the taller of the three, and brushed her bangs from her face, her lavender hair with pink shimmer braided back. Her apron was black, just like Timmy's, and her little black dress was fitting her shapely body so nicely.  
  
"Okay, yeah, It's Jimmy, but we're guests here, so what would it matter?" He laughed awkwardly, making the girls shake their heads.  
  
"Be a professional, Mr. Feast of Fiction," Tiffany laughed. He rolled his eyes and Tom walked into the kitchen. Ro jumped and laughed, Tom bowing.  
  
"You scared me," she giggled.  
  
"Pardon, but, the cake? Is it ready to be served?"  
  
"Yes," Tiffany smiled. Tom waved and walked out of the kitchen, Ro looking to Jimmy.  
  
"I'm telling Freddie!"  
  
"No don't!"  
  
=  
  
Annie looked at Janelle and Matt. Strangers, really, to her. The two were gone for five years and in that time managed to scrape in two friends of the family, and as Peter said, were molded by the wrong hands rather than God's.  
  
Janelle and Matt were just like siblings, twins even if they were, yet Janelle's hand was gripped tightly by Michael's.  
  
"So, what do your blueprints suggest?" Peter Five asked. Jan and Matt looked at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean, who are you supposed to be made for?"  
  
She stared at him with her big green eyes. Matt gasped and Michael did, too. "Um, for my brother, my boyfriend, and my brother, The Spine."  
  
"Your parents weren't worried about you?"  
  
Matt wanted to punch him, if he could. "No, they could care less. They wanted me dead in the first place and thirteen years later they force me onto the pavement, I get stabbed by the Beciles, and tadaaa here I am, automaton and all."  
  
She looked to Michael and he sighed, letting go of her hand to hold her close by her shoulders. She nuzzled into him, Matt now worried. He turned to Five and leaned in, Five leaning in as well.  
  
"She's very sensitive about it and so am I. We can talk about it later, but now, now is not a good time, alright?"  
  
"Alright," Five said, now feeling sorry. He turned to Peter, tapping his shoulder. "Do you have any children I need to know about?"  
  
"Janelle, but she's not my biological daughter. She's technically deceased, but lives under my name... why?"  
  
"Just wondering. Your mother seems in need for a grandchild and now I'm thinking a robot wouldn't count..."  
  
"Really any mention of Jan as my daughter to her would make her happy, dad," he laughed. Five nodded and chuckled.  
  
"True," he whispered to him, "Yet nothing can stop her from finding you that perfect girl. She's been scouring the dinner service for one since we got here." They went to look at her but Annie was no longer in her seat. Instead she was three tables over, playing with Lizzie's hair and making a concentrated face.  
  
"Oh my glob what is she doing?" Six asked, a bit worried.  
  
"Lizzie is six hundred years old. And she looks like a seven year old... Annie!" he called. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Leave the child alone! Look for someone else or come back and sit for dessert!" She sighed loudly and walked back over to them, her long strawberry blonde hair flowing with her steps.  
  
"If I'm ever going to have grandchildren then I need to find a fancy lady for Peter!" she said annoyed.  
  
"Mom, there's no need," Six sighed.  
  
"Why? What's your issue with me finding someone?"  
  
"Maybe he's gay," Steve said.  
  
"No, I'm not gay," Six stopped him, "I'm just not interested in dating anyone."  
  
"The term for that is asexual, I th-think," Rabbit pointed out. Six nodded and Annie gasped.  
  
"No, I just... I want to wait, okay?" Why was this so hard? Annie and Five nodded, AJ poking Steve's arm.  
  
His was fascinated. It was obvious. Steve laughed and AJ poked him harder. "Ow, kid, c'mon! I still have nerves!" AJ jumped and retracted his hand, Steve rubbing the bit AJ poked.  
  
"Sorry," AJ said as he watched the swirls of darkness fade away. "So, how do you hide your scales?"  
  
"It's kinda like a suit," Steve explained, "Where I can take it off or leave it on. Normal human cleaning regime though."  
  
"Gross," AJ smiled.  
  
"Very."  
  
=  
  
Hands clutching her hips, Spine gasped sharply and gripped her tighter, cursing under his breath. Hatchet smacked his shoulder and screamed, collapsing her head upon the other shoulder. They stayed like that for a little while before Hatchet hummed a high note and grabbed his hair, pulling his face before hers and kissing him deeply. He happily kissed back with such love.  
  
He grabbed the sides of her face and pinned her down upon the hammock, running his fingers through her hair. She sighed as he finally let off, a sweet The Spine smile upon his face. She wiped the oil from his lips and laughed.  
  
"Every time is a new trick for you to play, boy?" she asked. "Well, soon you'll run of tricks to pull from your hat..."  
  
"As if," he grinned, pulling her tights back up her legs. He kissed her arm all the way up and she giggled.  
  
"What? You looking up things ya shou'n' to see what you can do wif me?"  
  
"Quite so," he laughed. "You seem to like 'em no ma'ah."  
  
"But that accent, though," she laughed, sitting up and running her hand across the empty hull where his core once lay. It died, the blue light flickering out like a dimmer light and ended up dulling out into a brown liquid that Hatchet took notes on for Peter, laying them in his notebook for him to find on a later day.  
  
He watched her fingers dance across the empty hole, then slip her fingers into the case and made him smile. He grabbed her wrist gently and kissed the palm of her hand.  
  
"We have to go back, love," she sighed, sounding sad about the fact.  
  
He licked her finger and made her laugh again, then nodded as he wrapped her corset around her already thin waist. "I know," he said as she spun around, "and I am going to apologize."  
  
"Plus, I thought I heard Rabbit and Janelle conversing over a cover," Hatchet said sweetly. "And you are a tall man with blonde hair, blue eyes, and cute dimples."  
  
"Oh no," he scowled. "Am I?"  
  
"Scott Hoying of Pentatonix? Oui."  
  
"I was going to say Adam Sandler but I guess he isn't blonde, tall, blue eyed, nor has dimples." They laughed about that and Hatchet grabbed Spine's shirt and wrapped it around him. He stuck his arms through and smiled at her.  
  
That smile was something she had loved about him from the start. When her face was scraps and bolts, her lips gold rather than ash and rubber, she saw him for the first time. Walking out of the workshop with her in her Pappy's arms, just ever so lightly, he walked her out and let her stand for the first time. Iris was close by, scowling of course, but she was there.  
  
"Come on now, child," Peer said kindly. Rabbit poked his (at the time)'s head around the corner. The blue lights flickered slightly and he tilted his head as she straightened her legs out and let go of her grip upon her Pappy's shoulder. Peter ducked out of the way and stepped back. So far so good.  
  
Clank! Clank! Steps of The Spine were quite loud and the problem of this was quite overwhelming. Late nights of telling the boys to stop running and chasing after either UpGrade or teasing the cats, ending up attacked by them. He walked down the hall towards them, slowly, carefully, watching her.  
  
His thoughts were about how tall she was. UpGrade was a short stack (at the time her name was Penny, for she was mostly a copper build with a strong presence of silver and porcelain). She was towering over Iris and was nearly Spine's height.  
  
She stood shaking upon her metal feet. "Very good, Hatchet, now walk to your Mama," Peter instructed.  
  
"If you come to me I will tear you apart-"  
  
"Iris!"  
  
Hatchet looked at the woman and then Rabbit, waving shyly at him. he waved back and jolted back around the corner, running off. She looked at Spine, her teal eyes bright with wonder, a new bot within the manor.  
  
"Walk to Spine, Hatchet," Peter said sweetly to her. She nodded and stood up right, sticking her chin up, mocking Iris. Sh blew air from her lips, the human woman, and Hatchet walked onward, fumbling over her own feet and falling to the floor. Luckily Spine was right there, putting his arms out just in time to save her beautifully pieced together face from smashing against the floor and shattering.  
  
That was the first time he held her for many times to come, and now his hold of her was lustful, caring, even more so then back then.  
  
"I have something to tell you," hatchet started, Spine giving her a look of concern. "Grimm demanded we get back to work after the end of tomorrow. Once the clock strikes midnight we go full time into our reaper suits, scythes and all, and reap away like none of this is real..."  
  
Spine stared at her. "I... I don't know if-"  
  
"Please, Spine, just say alright. Just say alright and we can get through all of this sooner. Please."  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the song I'm referencing a cover to is this medley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MteSlpxCpo


	94. Steve's observations, Spine apologizes, Dumb cereal puns - Whistler

Steve felt great. He'd spent so long hiding his true nature, and here he was, among the people who had become his friends and were more like family, and found that they weren't in the least afraid of him. It was so... relaxing.  
  
"Hey, Lil Steve!" he called casually. "Nice tie."  
  
Lil Steve stood and bowed, falling onto his face in the process. He scrambled back to his feet quickly, unfazed; being a string doll golem, like being a toddler, meant falling down. A lot.  
  
"I wear a bowtie now. Bowties are cool."  
  
"That's an old one," said Steve, but Carol was giggling.  
  
"All he needs is a fez..." she laughed.  
  
Paige smiled and Steve knew the fez wouldn't be long in appearing. The Walter Girls never could resist playing dress-up with Lil Steve.  
  
Peter was at the other end of the table, trying to defend his chastity. Steve dug into his second portion of fish, savoring the protein the way the others were enjoying the cake, and listened. He hoped Annie gave up. The idea of Peter Walter VI having children at this point in his life...  
  
Annie started in on Sam and Chelsea... asking how they had gotten together. They each blushed a violent blue as they explained, carefully and very quietly, how they had been rather the worse for alcohol and certain latent feelings had made themselves known... in bed. Annie giggled and said it was strangely romantic. Steve ventured a glance and saw Annie looking between Paige and her glass of wine thoughtfully. He almost choked on his fish. She wasn't considering... To his relief, she shook her head and turned back to her son.  
  
Dang, the woman meant business.  
  
"Does it hurt?"  
  
"What?" he turned to see everyone sitting nearby, looking at him. "Does what hurt?"  
  
"When you change... y'know," said AJ.  
  
Suddenly I'm Wolverine... Cool. "Just for a second. I usually change quickly."  
  
"So that it won't hurt for long?"  
  
"That, and because I'm naked when I do it."  
  
Laughter exploded around him, drawing attention from Peter's parents. Before they could ask what the joke was, The Spine returned.  
  
\----------  
  
Hand in hand with his wife and freshly made up right up to his green glowing eyes, he entered the room slowly, his head lowered slightly as though expecting a blow.  
  
"Peter..." he said softly, his voice now gentle, his growing accent carefully controlled. "Five, sir... Annie... everyone... I apologize for my outburst earlier..."  
  
Annie stood, staring at him. He looked at her apprehensively. Hatchet scowled and leaned in close to him, peering at the woman warily, and The Spine didn't blame her. She had once been condemned to rust away on the bitter word of a Walter matriarch, and here was the current one, facing down her husband. Though Annie was small and frail compared to the automatons, The Spine could feel his wife trembling as she stared her down. Strangely, this gave him courage. He needed Hatchet with him now... but she needed him more.  
  
"Oh, Spine..." Annie said with feeling. "I don't understand what's going on with you, but... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to insult you both. Of course there's nothing wrong with your marriage! I think it's just lovely."  
  
Hatchet put her hand to her mouth. The Spine put his arm around her and Annie stepped forward hesitantly and hugged them both lightly, not so quickly forgetting their terrifying exit.  
  
"Thank you," he murmured.  
  
"Well, sit down! I don't suppose you want cake but join the party." Annie waved them to a couple of empty chairs. They sat and waved to AJ, who was busy talking to Steve Negrete.  
  
The Spine grinned and turned to his wife. "Looks like he's interested in dragons," he whispered, looking at her. She was using her napkin to wipe oil from her eyes. He melted... figuratively speaking... She was so tough now, on the outside, so practical and no nonsense, but when it came to certain things, she was pure marshmallow. And, he was rapidly learning, one of those things was her husband.  
  
Seeing her in tears twisted him up inside, every time. He pulled her close and rested his head on hers, the rest of the family all but forgotten until Rabbit spoke.  
  
"Took ya a while ta c-c-calm down there, buddy," she piped merrily.  
  
"I was tense, yes..." he murmured into Hatchet's hair.  
  
"Yessir, must've been some rage ya had there..."  
  
"Yes. And?"  
  
"Seein' as how you were gone so long. Yup."  
  
"Are ye after tryin' to make a point, Rabbit?" The Spine said irritably.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
D@mn. The Spine closed his eyes.  
  
"That was weird," said Paige. "You sounded... what kind of accent was that?"  
  
"Irish," said Carol.  
  
"That's a coincidence," said Rabbit.  
  
"In what way?" asked The Spine, his accent once again carefully San Diego.  
  
"Well, Hatchet's always after your lucky charms..."  
  
The Spine sighed, a deep, slow, long-suffering sigh, while Rabbit laughed like a donkey and everyone around her told her to shut up. Some things didn't change. He was pretty sure Rabbit had been working up to that joke the whole time. He wondered how long ago she had noticed the accent. Well, where Rabbit had always teased him, he had always been able to give as good as he got.  
  
"You tricked me, Rabbit," he replied, still contentedly snuggled against his wife. "You really shouldn't do that..."  
  
"Why not, Spine?" she asked, her laughter trailing away.  
  
Half the table, as one, replied, "Silly Rabbit, tricks are for kids!"  
  
Rabbit, delighted, laughed at least as hard as they did.  
  



	95. Vampires, another song, no really... Vampires - NinjaPastry

Like three ducks in a row, the black eyed siblings sat, face to face with David, Gabi, and Paige. Pruitt and her little brother Paul alongside their sister, the youngest of the three, Lizzie. David looked at Pruitt while Paul stared down Gabi and Paige and Lizzie smiled at each other.  
  
It was silent while everyone else talked and laughed away. Their plates were empty, nothing covering them. Their eyes were turning grey, slowly bleeding to white. Paul's stomach growled and Lizzie cringed, Pruitt gasping and looking to them. "You fools! I told you to eat before dinner!"  
  
"No one would let us," Lizzie cried out. Pruitt stood quickly, grabbing them and flying down the table length and right out the door. David and Gabi looked to each other, then to Paige. Paige stood and ran after them.  
  
"Who wouldn't let you?" Pruitt asked. She hovered above the ground as she always did when nervous. The kids stayed quiet. "Errrrg- Who wouldn't let you feed on them? Ray? Ian? Who?"  
  
"Anthony. His turn was today," Paul replied.  
  
"Hope, please don't kill him," Lizzie said sweetly. She played with her dress and Pruitt sighed. She set her feet upon the floor and sighed as she wrapped her arms around her little sister.  
  
"I won't, but he's in there somewhere... I'll find him. Please stay sane enough for long so I can drag him out." The two nodded and Pruitt flew past Paige back into the dining hall. Paige walked to them as they slumped and sat upon the steps.  
  
"What does she mean by feed?" she asked.  
  
"We suck blood," Lizzie said.  
  
"We're vampires," Paul added. "We feed on three of the workers who offered their help."  
  
"Wait, how old are you tow?"  
  
"600," Lizzie smiled.  
  
"608, and Hope- I mean, Pruitt is 618." Paige nodded and sat down with them, watching them so neither of them would lunge at her.  
  
=  
  
Rabbit fumbled with her dress as she stood and fixed her head piece. Hatchet kissed Spine longingly before she guarded the stage once more, smack dab center of his younger brother Hatchy and older sister Rabbit. Janelle and Matt ran up and Matt took the drums and Jan took her stand beside Hatchy.  
  
They bowed their heads and Annie and Five turned around to watch. Eyes all on the bots, everyone. Another performance was going underway.  
  
"Buy it, use it, break it, fix it, trash it, change it, mail - upgrade it," Hatchy started.  
  
"Charge it, point it, zoom it, press it, snap it, work it, quick - erase it," Spine joined.  
  
"Write it, cut it, paste it, save it, load it, check it, quick - rewrite it," Rabbit bellowed.  
  
"Plug it, play it, burn it, rip it, drag and drop it, zip - unzip it," Jingle finally sang, Matt kicking in with the beat. The workers were stunned and Michael was transfixed.  
  
"Lock it, fill it, call it, find it, view it, code it, jam - unlock it, surf it, scroll it, pause it, click it, cross it, crack it, switch - update it, name it, rate it, tune it, print it, scan it, send it, fax - rename it, touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it," they paused.  
  
"Technologic," Matt sang. Michael's jaw dropped and Jingle smiled, then they continued on with the medley.  
  
"Did Matt just..." Peter Six left off.  
  
"He sings like an angel," Michael laughed. Peter nodded and AJ watched with his mum. She sighed and listened as he portrayed Scott as the group. It was obvious that Matt was playing K.O.'s part, Rabbit's bass notes meant she was Avi, and Hatchworth Mitch. Jingle rocked out as Kirsten, especially when her solo came up.  
  
Michael sighed and rested his chin upon his hand and watched as she danced about and sang so amazingly. It was really something to watch... Then he turned his attention to someone being dragged out of the dining hall and a muffled scream come from the other room. Paige walked in a moment later with blood splattered on her face and sat back down, wiping it off carefully.  
  
Wait... what just happened? Where was Anthony? Ian seemed terrified and Paige looked horrified.  
  



	96. There goes Smosh, What turns a scientist on (in this case, it's a dragon), New friend - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't get it at first myself, but Paige was not bitten by the vampires. Just FYI.

"Paige!" gasped Annie. "Peter... look at her! I didn't think she could get any whiter and... there's blood all over her!"  
  
"Ian!" roared Peter. "Whose turn was it?"  
  
"I-I-I..."  
  
Paige teetered and Ian caught her hastily. Bunny started to rise, eyes wide. She looked uncomfortably at Carissa and sat back down.  
  
Carissa leaned in as Ian carried Paige out in a flurry of worried workers and whispered, "It's okay, y'know. I get it."  
  
"Habit, I guess..."  
  
"No, you're the Matter Mistress now. You were her boyfriend... got blown up, and now you're her boss. It's... really effing awkward."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"Well, come on," she said, putting her hand on Bunny's arm reassuringly. "We're Walter workers and so is she. We have a duty, right?"  
  
"Right," Bunny said gratefully, with a sheepish grin just like David's.  
  
They hurried out after the others, who were staring down at the hall carpet. Bunny, uncertainty gone, took charge. "What in the world happened?"  
  
"It was the vampires," Paige whispered. "They hadn't fed..."  
  
Bunny brushed aside the awkwardness and tipped Paige's head back quickly. Nothing. Bunny sighed with relief.  
  
"Thank goodness for that. You never could take the sight of blood. Ian, take her to her room, okay? Bri, could you...?"  
  
"Got it." They hurried away.  
  
"Never a dull moment," said Five, following them out. Bunny rolled her eyes and sent a deeply reluctant Guy to tell the vampires they would be expected to clear up the mess.  
  
Back in the dining room, the remaining people and robots looked at one another in bewilderment. "Should we keep playing?" asked Rabbit uncertainly.  
  
"Well..." The Spine said, staring out at the crowd in the hall.  
  
"I'm worried about Miss Paige!" cried Janelle. Matt and Mike moved to comfort her simultaneously.  
  
Bunny put her head around the corner. "Everyone go on as you were, it's under control. Paige isn't hurt; she's just had a bit of a scare." She disappeared as several Walter workers trickled back in looking uneasy.  
  
"Alright," The Spine said slowly. He started playing Honeybee, but something wasn't right. It sounded like a dirge. Rabbit made a sound like she was clearing her throat and he stopped and looked at her blankly.  
  
"This gonna be a thing with you or are you tryin' ta b-b-be funny?"  
  
"Oh!" he said suddenly. "Sorry..."  
  
"Maybe something happier anyway, little bro," she said.  
  
"Um... okay..." He pondered a moment and played "One Way Ticket" instead. It was very hard to turn that into a funeral march.  
  
As the music bounced along, the audience squirmed and tried to stayed focused on the music. Steve Negrete, not one for keeping still, whispered, "Carol... come on!"  
  
"Oh, but..."  
  
"They won't miss us... things are breaking up anyway. I want to show you something."  
  
They slipped out through the kitchen. After they left, AJ quietly got up and followed, taking advantage of his mother's rapt stare up at his father, who in turn was thoroughly absorbed in his playing.  
  
And bringing up the rear, creeping after AJ, padded little yarn feet.  
  
\----------  
  
Steve led his fiancee out into the night, onto the vast lawns of Walter Manor. "I've never shown you, baby. You've had plenty of evidence but I want you to see for yourself."  
  
"Oh, my! Yes, I admit I would like to see... When you flashed those dragon eyes at AJ I was very intrigued."  
  
"So was he!" giggled Steve. "Looks like I have a fan. He's a great kid."  
  
"Oh, love, you said that about Boyle too..."  
  
He jogged out into an open section of lawn. "I meant it. Alright, stay right there." He began to unbutton his shirt.  
  
"What..."  
  
"I've ruined a lot of clothes lately. It's getting expensive." He tossed her his shirt and started on his pants.  
  
"Should I close my eyes?"  
  
"Why? You've seen me..."  
  
"I mean, for the surprise..." she said quickly, blushing in the darkness. She was lying... she had seen him, yes, she had seen him, but this strip tease on the lawn seemed so much more blunt!  
  
"You're lying, baby," he giggled, kicking his shoes across the lawn. He slid out of his pants and tossed them after the shoes. "If it makes you uneasy, go ahead and close your eyes. It can be kind of startling to see the transformation for the first time. Bunny screamed. Of course, she didn't expect it..."  
  
"It's not that..." she gasped, staring at him as he slid off his bandana and tossed it to her. She wanted very much to see the actual transformation, both as a scientist and as the woman who loved him. It sounded absolutely fascinating...  
  
He stood, barefoot now, in his boxers, and put his hands on his hips. "Well, if there's anything you don't want to see, now's the time to close your eyes."  
  
Off went the boxers to be tossed onto the pile with the shoes. Carol stared, absent-mindedly pressing his shirt to her nose and breathing in his scent as he turned and whooped, streaking across the lawn. After a few steps, he burst into flames with a deafening roar... whether from the fire or from his own throat, she couldn't tell.  
  
Carol gasped, watching him with wide eyes, pressing the shirt against her mouth to keep her from crying out. It seemed terribly impolite...  
  
The burning figure, his dreadlocks rising in the heat, turned back toward her and her heart thudded against her breastbone as flaming red wings uncoiled and rose above him. For a moment he looked like a demon, until his body began to stretch, tipping forward until he fell onto all fours and grew... and grew... He threw his head back and fired a long plume of flame into the air and shook himself from head to tail like a dog. At last he stood complete; the flames guttered and died and he stretched luxuriously before trotting rather bouncily to look eye-to-eye at his fiancee.  
  
The shirt and bandana slipped from her arms and she reached out to touch him. Oh, he was beautiful! The dim light from the windows of the manor lit his rose red scales with iridescent shimmers. His coppery eyes seemed to shine with the flames inside of him. He was warm, of course, and looked up at her as if to say, "Well?"  
  
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his serpentine neck, resting her cheek against the scales and sighing. "Oh, Steven..." she murmured, feeling the muscles moving underneath his armored hide as she walked along the length of him, examining the magnificent true form of the man she loved. His wings were truly awe-inspiring, spreading like the wings of a jumbo jet across the lawn. "You're too splendid for words..."  
  
He turned his head and nuzzled her with his snout and she giggled and lay her head against his. Then he flicked his head toward his back.  
  
"Oh, you... you want me to ride you? Oh, my, I couldn't..."  
  
He gave her a look that was pure innuendo, she could swear to it.  
  
"I'm going assume that you are thinking something very, very naughty indeed..." she said, her cheeks twitching with embarrassed amusement. "But suppose I fall off, darling?"  
  
His only answer was to twitch his head once more toward his back. She hesitated, then kicked off her pumps and clambered up and sat. He gave her a little push with his tail, settling her a little in front of his wings, waited until she was settled, and rose into the air with a great pump of his wings.  
  
Carol let out a little yelp of fear and flung her arms around as much of his neck as she could. To her relief, he hovered just a little way off the ground instead of launching out across the city as she had feared he might. He was such an impetuous man... but she supposed he didn't want to frighten her.  
  
The powerful wings pumped a steady, almost suggestive rhythm as he maintained position over the lawn for a scant minute before landing. She was almost sorry when he did... the raw power was... well, she was certainly impressed.  
  
He wrapped his tail gently around her and helped her to the ground. He then moved back several steps and closed his wings. She started forward, but her looked at her sharply and shook his massive head. Of course... he had to change back.  
  
Her scientific interest took hold once more, fighting a rather violent battle with a surprising feeling coming from a very deep and primal part of her brain. She had expected to be impressed with his dragon form. She hadn't expected to find the experience so... stimulating.  
  
She watched in wonder as each massive part compacted into the shape of a human being, cringing at times as he made little grunts of pain. At last Steve Negrete, dragon, crouched on four trembling limbs, trying to catch his breath. She hurried to him, scooping up his clothing as she went. He sat back on his heels and hastily grabbed his boxers.  
  
Once he had them on, he crouched wearily and said, his voice a little shaky, "So? You still want to marry me?"  
  
She knelt beside him where he sat and looked at him. For a moment she didn't know what to say. His expression grew uneasy. "Carol?" he asked in a pleading tone.  
  
She pulled him down and kissed him so swiftly that he lost his balance and they fell to the ground.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked quickly. He cracked a little smile. "I... I guess you're okay with it, then?"  
  
"Okay with it!" she gasped, pulling him close once more.  
  
"So that's a yes?" he asked, when his lips were once again free.  
  
"Yes, of course!" she cried.  
  
He grinned. "Well, better get dressed again..."  
  
"Don't be in a hurry..." she gasped, and kissed him again. He pulled away a moment later.  
  
"But we're out on the lawn!"  
  
She held his head against her chest and sighed feelingly. "Oh, have it your way!"  
  
"I'd love to... just not on the lawn."  
  
She laughed and let him go, sitting up as he rose and began hopping into his pants. "Love, I don't mind telling you that your true form is terribly attractive..."  
  
"And that is incredibly flattering, Carol." He slipped his shirt on. "I didn't know you had a thing for dragons." He winked.  
  
"Neither did I," she said as he held out his hand and helped her to her feet, dusting her off gently. He dusted her backside rather more vigorously than was strictly necessary and was rewarded with another accusation of being thoroughly naughty, to which he suggested he had only just begun to be naughty.  
  
They strolled into the house a few minutes later, looking as if they'd just taken a stroll. After they'd gone, AJ detached himself from the shadows and sighed.  
  
"That was wicked," he murmured with feeling.  
  
In the next moment, he heard a snuffling sound. He looked around sharply, his photoreceptors switching to night vision. There it was... a little figure slumped beside the wall. He crouched beside it.  
  
"How can you cry?" he asked, fascinated.  
  
"You think only meatbags have feelings? Besides, I ain't crying!"  
  
"Are you jealous, Lil Steve?"  
  
"No."  
  
"But you were his best friend or something..."  
  
"Don't rub it in!" roared Lil Steve.  
  
AJ sat back on his heels and tried not to laugh. "I thought it was brilliant. He's so cool as a dragon."  
  
"He was the bestest buddy a guy could have, until that skirt came along! I used ta sleep in his top drawer with the socks... yarn to yarn... It was so snuggly."  
  
"Aw..."  
  
"I don't need your pity!"  
  
"Alright, alright!"  
  
They sat in silence for a moment. A duck quacked softly in the distance.  
  
"I have socks."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have socks. Just like a human. I have a sock drawer."  
  
"Good for you."  
  
"I was just thinking... there's room in the drawer. If you felt like finding a quieter room to share sometimes."  
  
Lil Steve stood, looking him up and down. "Quieter? Oh, yeah. No, they won't do it in his room."  
  
"Do what?" AJ asked slyly, even though he knew perfectly well. The Jon had been of the opinion that all teenagers needed an extensive knowledge of it.  
  
"Y'know. It. And he can't do it in an ordinary bedroom. He sets things on fire when he gets really excited."  
  
"I'm surprised." AJ held out his hand. "How much could a yarn doll know about sex?"  
  
"Well," said Lil Steve, clambering up AJ's arm to sit on his shoulder. "A lot more than they think I do. And it's gotten me out of a buttload of trouble, too, them thinking that, so just keep your trap shut about it."  
  
AJ grinned and walked into the manor.  



	97. A shocking discovery, The party breaks up - NinjaPastry

Ian fell into the wall and Bri helped him back to a proper stance, running with him to Paige's room. He turned into the room and set her down, Bri grabbing a cloth and running out. Ian sat a the desk against the window and looked at Paige. She sat up and sighed, grabbing the pillow and hugging it tightly.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked. She looked at his face and all his blue and black stubble, the blue and black steaks in his bowl cut making her smile slightly. Ever so slightly. Kinda not noticeable. She shook her head and he sighed, sitting up. "Alright... um, what can I do for you then?"  
  
She sat quietly and he drew a quick breath. "Listen, I know it's traumatic and all, but how is he? Anthony? Is he alright?" She said nothing and looked up at him. Tears streamed from her eyes and she began to cry, resting her face into the pillow and curling up upon the bed. Ian felt like crying, unsure what it meant, but then Bri came in.  
  
"Oh hun," the other pretty girl sighed, walking over to Paige. She put the washcloth to Paige's cheek and wiped away the blood, Ian standing.  
  
"I'm sure you can handle it from here?" Bri nodded and Ian walked out. At first he walked, then he sprinted down the halls back tot he main staircase, Lizzie and Paul scrubbing the floors. He screamed as he saw Pruitt finishing up Anthony. Pruitt drew away and hissed at him, making him scream again.  
  
Six heard the girlish screams and sighed, slipping out of the performance and to the stairwell. He managed three feet before jumping and stepping back. Pruitt tossed Anthony to Ian's feet and he screamed again, this time covering his mouth. Pruitt's was covered in blood.  
  
=  
  
Leo looked at Carolina and smiled, worried. Whatever was happening was dangerously going downhill. "I'll take care of this," he said to her, quietly. He stood from his seat and an tot eh stage, the robots stopping their song. Well, they had stopped earlier, but now Matt stopped his drumming and grabbed Jingle to bring her to Michael.  
  
"She's starting to panic, get her to the vaults or to her room," Matt instructed. Mike grabbed his girlfriend and ran out with her, maneuvering around the horrid scene.  
  
Leo stepped between Spine and Rabbit, looking to the special guests. "I'm sorry, but dinner is now over. We thank Daft Punk for introducing the band, for our guest chef J.E.N. for cooking for us, and for Peter the Fifth ad Mrs. Annie for returning home. Please leave out the fifth door and avoid the staircase. Thankyou. Work will return to normal tomorrow."  
  
He jumped down and ran over to Carolina as the workers filed out. She stood and slipped her hand into his.  
  
"I'm so tired," she sighed. "Let's go to bed." Leo nodded and walked with her out the doors and to the elevator. Busy. They walked tot he second one and managed to slide in before the doors shut, inhabited by Meg, Admin Jon and the Negretes.  
  
They stood in silence on they way up, then got off on their floor. Carolina ran with him to her room and fell into bed, Leo laughing as he crawled up to her. He fell onto the bed beside her and smiled. "I guess we gotta get our pajamas on or something," she smiled back. He laughed and slowly got out of bed, exiting the room.  
  
She got up and slipped out of her dress as Leo returned with pink pajama pants, the draw string ripped out. "The shirt doesn't fit anymore," he laughed. Carolina snickered and grabbed her nightshirt. She put it on and got comfortable on the bed, Leo slipping in with her.  
  
"I hope we don't have to wake up with a butt-ton of things to do," she sighed. Eh played with her hair and kissed her nose.  
  
"Peter won't make us. We've been though enough already. I died and aged eight years and you went missing and I'm sure that was interesting."  
  
"It was. Your eyes were switched and you ear was on the other side. The burned one. Also, Rabbit was quite the lady-chasing man and Spine had human parts and Hatchet had a baby bump."  
  
"I'm not even going to ask."  
  
"I didn't." This made Leo smile, making her smile right back. She yawned and curled up into him, Leo wrapping his arm around her and holding her close. "I missed you. The real you."  
  
"And I missed you," he said softly. She put her hand against his chest and ran a finger across a bullet wound. It was healed, of course, but it looked like a fresh one with the way it scarred. The stitches made the skin raise and there was a good chunk missing from his collar bone from it.  
  
"What do you want to do tomorrow?" he asked her.  
  
She thought about it, then whispered, "Anything you want to." He chuckled and played with her hair until she fell asleep, him soon after.  
  



	98. Real friends help you move the bodies, David's dorky romance, Demon lessons, Five really has seen everything - Whistler

"Put him in here!" hissed Bunny. "Quietly!"  
  
Ian and Sam hastily put the wrapped body into the vault and hurried out again. Sam wiped his hands on his jacket uneasily. Ian pulled out a small flask and tossed back the contents. Bunny looked at him sharply.  
  
"It's after hours," he said shakily. She looked away.  
  
"No, I understand. Just don't make a habit of it."  
  
Sam put an arm around Ian's back. "Come on, you need some rest, man. And I need to get back to Chelsea. She's with Paige and Bri and they're all pretty freaked out."  
  
Ian nodded and walked out. "Should we close the door or something?" Sam called back to Bunny as she followed.  
  
"No, it's plenty cool enough down here. He'll keep until Peter tells me what we do next."  
  
"I guess the cops may have to be involved in this one..."  
  
"More likely someone in a plain suit will turn up and take the body and tell us we never saw anything. It's happened before."  
  
They climbed the stairs and closed the door behind them.  
  
The vaults were silent except for a distant drip somewhere in the far depths of the rows of heavy doors, some open and some sealed. There was no one to hear the weak rustle of fabric.  
  
\----------  
  
David and Gabi strolled along the garden path. It seemed almost too perfect, a shocking contrast to the events of the evening. Ordinarily, after an evening like this... fairly typical in Walter Manor, with the exception of the death... David would sink gratefully into his bunk and try to ignore any residual screaming while his sister leaped to respond.  
  
It wasn't that he was lazy; far from it. But Bunny was more athletic and the screaming was so often female... as far as he could tell. Once or twice she had woken him to assure him that it was one of his, but as a rule, Bunny ran a tighter ship with the Walter girls than he did with the guys, who were more like buddies than subordinates. She tended to just let her authority bleed over into his area, taking up the slack she seemed to think he was leaving.  
  
Tonight, indeed, she was busily dealing with problems... such as grilling Ian about the incidents that had brought the chaotic but largely successful welcome home dinner to such a grisly halt. But she had spared a moment to wink and tell him she had it covered. How she had the bloody death of a Walter employee covered, he couldn't imagine. He was just relieved that Gabi had been visiting the restroom at the time... He had rushed to meet her at the door, first to ensure that she was safe and well (all things considered) and second, to suggest they take a walk... out the side door, away from things he didn't want her to see.  
  
He had hurried her along at first, afraid that she might hear the commotion and want to investigate, but they were just far enough away, it seemed. Now they walked in the moonlight, each shyly avoiding too much eye contact. David had managed to summon the courage to take her hand on the third circuit of the old English garden some past Walter had seen fit to install. She had such a little hand, so soft and fragile, or so it felt at first. He gave it a squeeze as they talked about the evening, or those events that she had witnessed, and she squeezed back so hard that it stung.  
  
She yawned. "I'm sorry," he said. "You're tired..."  
  
Or bored. He hoped she wasn't bored.  
  
She smiled. "It's been quite an evening, but I like it out here..." She yawned again.  
  
He sighed. "You are tired. Come on."  
  
"Alright," she said in a mock pouting tone. "I got up early. Someone was yelling about something..."  
  
"We get that a lot."  
  
He walked her to her room and reluctantly let go of her hand. "Goodnight, Gabi," he said softly, looking into her eyes. They were so pretty...  
  
"Wait," she murmured. "David... do you like me?"  
  
"Are you kidding? Yeah... You're... you're really nice."  
  
She smiled. "I mean... y'know... do you _like_ like me?"  
  
He giggled stupidly and she put her hands on her hips. "Oh! I'm not laughing at you!" he cried. Stupid nervous laugh! "I do like you, really! A lot!"  
  
Her expression softened. "Then... Wait, how much is a lot?"  
  
His heart pounded. He was almost content to just go on with the shy hand holding forever rather than try to put his feelings into words.  
  
"Gabi... I..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Was his heart supposed to beat this fast? What did he want to tell her? How could he say it? He felt... he felt almost as though he was, well... He'd thought he was in love a couple of times but this was different. She was so sweet, but also kind of tough. She'd stood up for him boldly more than once, and she was cute and talented and cool... and he wanted her to be around all the time, to talk about deep subjects and make stupid puns, and laugh and be beautiful, to make silly, unimportant little comments or tell him his socks didn't match... to hold and kiss and...  
  
The room was spinning.  
  
"Are... are you okay? Your face is red..."  
  
That's right, he hadn't been working with Blue Matter while he was sick... He looked down at her and realized he was hyperventilating. He clutched his chest.  
  
"Help..." he gasped.  
  
"What? Why? You've gone white..."  
  
She looked sharply past him as he began to see spiderwebs across his vision. "What's wrong...?" he gasped, feeling like he was going to die.  
  
The room gave one last great spin and everything went black. As the darkness engulfed him, he heard her scream...  
  
\----------  
  
Ardo opened his eyes and found he was surrounded by black smoke. He instinctively waved it away and found Grimm at the center, smoking another huge black cigar.  
  
"I think we had better see about training you, boy."  
  
"But..."  
  
"You are allowed to remain with Lina by virtue of contractual agreement. But that's some sixty-odd years of service I lose to a loophole. You can begin training and at least some work... But to be of use to me, you must learn your place."  
  
He waved his hand and Leo screamed as a searing pain slashed into his back. He could feel the gaping wound burning... he fell to the ground, retching with the pain.  
  
"By your request, your stupidity is answerable upon you alone."  
  
"What... stupidity..." he gasped through clenched teeth, struggling against the pain.  
  
Grimm's voice rose to a roar. "All matters of Death are within my domain, idiot boy! What foolishness allowed you to suffer three of the undead to help themselves to a fourth?"  
  
"A fourth..." He could feel the pins and needles stabbing as the slash in his back slowly and excruciatingly knit itself shut.  
  
"I scarcely tolerate the nosferatu as it is! Sloppy. Neither alive nor dead. But they amuse me, so I allow them to carry on, under careful watch. Which you failed to carry out, as my representative, and now, thanks to your lassitude, they are reproducing!"  
  
Ardo rose, trembling, his back still burning with a white hot pain. "They... they killed Anthony, yes. I accept that this should not have occurred..."  
  
Grimm pinched the bridge of his nose. "Could it be that you don't know what happens now?"  
  
Ardo stared at him blankly.  
  
"Did you never read macabre tales as a child? No dark stories about ghosts, monsters, vampires?"  
  
"My childhood was a dark story, sir," Ardo said, scowling. "When would I have wanted to read about the undead when so many members of my family had died?"  
  
Grimm sighed slowly. "Alright. Then learn what every other black-hearted monster of a child has known since he was old enough to read books with chapters alone in the dark... A vampire creates new vampires when it drains a victim dry! And your Pruitt is the lead vampire... thus a third minion is added."  
  
"Oh, well, it's not a happy event but at least... well, Pruitt runs a pretty tight ship when the feeders don't slack off..."  
  
Grimm was shaking his head.  
  
"No?"  
  
"Let's try this again, and quickly, before it grows worse. A new vampire has been born in the Manor. He is empty, hungry, raw... he has no real awareness, no restraint. He will rise, he will smell the blood of the living, he will seek it out, and he will feed. You think the others were mad with hunger? They were seasoned vampir who had enough restraint at least to share their victim. He will drain to the bone anyone he finds until he is sated..."  
  
He thought immediately of Carolina. "I have to get back!" cried Ardo.  
  
"Good. Then you have sufficient motivation for lesson number one. Getting from place to place."  
  
"What? You do this now? This is beneath you!"  
  
"You think I'm joking?" Grimm intoned, his presence filling every corner of the room. "I could stop the vampir with a word. I need you well trained. Return to Walter Manor."  
  
Ardo gaped, then looked around him. There was nothing but fog, no walls, no chalk...  
  
"Fear stops thought, Ardo," Grimm said casually, examining his cigar.  
  
Ardo clapped his hand to his head. This he had known long before taking this position! Fear had certainly stopped his thoughts... He opened a passageway and dived through it.  
  
"Remember who you represent..." came Grimm's voice after him. "You are lord to these miserable abominations. Remind them."  
  
He landed on the bed. Carolina bounced lightly into the air and back down again. She groped around with one hand as though searching for something and settled back into sleep. Leo hastily rose, put on the pants he wore to dinner, and hurried out.  
  
But he stopped just outside the doorway. She lay there, asleep, completely vulnerable, not even a door to protect her. Before, he would have had no need to stop. He could have run straight to the problem, taken action without hesitation. But if love was a burden, it was one he accepted humbly. And he had the power now to carry it.  
  
"Lesson two," he murmured in the dark of the hallway. He waved his hand and a mist covered the doorway. He tested it and though his hand passed through, he knew instinctively that no lesser creature of darkness would be able to do the same.  
  
"Sleep well, my love." He ran to get Hatchet and The Spine, wondering how he would find the creature before it took a life.  
  
\----------  
  
Gabi wanted to run, but she just couldn't. It would be so easy to change form and hop away, though she had resisted changing since coming here. She knew if she remained human long enough, she would lose the ability to change back, but that was what she wanted. She had confided this to Bunny, and Bunny had laughed and called her trans-species. Whatever that meant...  
  
It was moving slowly toward her and David. He was the reason she couldn't run. Why he had passed out, she didn't know, but he had and she couldn't leave him to his fate. She loved him so... and she had thought he was about to tell her... well, none of it mattered now.  
  
It was coming, groaning in a dry, raspy voice, looking like a Walter worker but thin, shriveled, and covered in blood... After the first scream, her throat seized up with terror and she sank to the floor, trying to put herself in front of David, wishing she had a knife at least. She was pretty good with a knife... though whether this thing could feel pain...  
  
She heard feet running up behind her and the monster recoiled. "Back!" roared a deep voice.  
  
Five inched past her, holding a silver cross in front of him. Annie slipped down next to her and said, "Come on, let's get him on his feet."  
  
Annie slapped David twice and he jerked awake. "What...?"  
  
"Get up now, and get moving!" barked Five. "This is a new one, they don't hold back for anything for long."  
  
They stood and began to back away. David squinted at the monster. "Anthony?" he cried, horrified.  
  
"We've been running all over the manor since we found out, trying to find him. Why didn't anyone see fit to tell me a man had died in the incident? I could have told them to stake him first thing! Now..." Five shook his head.  
  
Anthony looked at them, twisting his head sideways, groaning with deep hunger. His desperation drove him forward despite the terror of the silver cross.  
  
"No good!" cried Five. "Let's get moving!" They turned and ran flat out for the stairs.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny, we wrote this stuff in June but it's pure Halloween. I think June is scarier than October when school is involved.


	99. Reapers and Vampires (sounds like an interesting game...) - NinjaPastry

Leo slid into the door, already banging his fists against it. The noises inside stopped and Leo waited rather impatiently. Hatchet answered the door with a large shirt on, Spine hiding in the hammock. he peered past the tubes and his eyes went wide.  
  
"What's wrong?" Spine asked. Hatchet backed up and opened the door more for him to enter and he did, hesitantly.  
  
"Vampires," he huffed. He patted his pockets and coughed, Hatchet putting a hand to his chest. He looked at her and smiled, able to breathe. What magic he could learn with all his new dark powers. "Also, I need you to help me with some things."  
  
Hatchet nodded and ran to the closet, Spine following her with his boxers on the wrong way. As if Leo cared. He didn't even have a shirt on and he had two pairs of pants on. "Details," Spine yelled.  
  
"Pruitt killed a worker and because of the deal within the manor and old stories he's become one himself and cannot handle it and is searching for blood to feast on," Leo explained. Hatchet slid past him and slipped her hood up, but she was visible to him. Strange. Spine ran out and put his fedora on, one with a red strap on it, and ran after her. They both held scythes in their hands and Leo ran after them.  
  
"I think he was in the north wing second floor last, Five and Annie running after him," Leo said. Spine looked back at him and waved a hand at him and he was suddenly in a black suit with the collar popped and unbuttoned two buttons, one pair of pants that were also black, and a hoodie on with the hood up. His feet were bare, but he liked it that way.  
  
His hand was filled with a bat with nails in it and he gasped, running after them. "Can anyone see me?"  
  
"Not a chance," Spine replied. They slid down the staircase and onto the second floor, Leo running past Hatchet and around a corner. Spine went the other way and she headed onward.  
  
=  
  
Paul, Lizzie, and Pruitt were locked in a vault. The vault beside them sat Michael and a crying and shaking Janelle. System failure he assumed, for she panicked differently. The vampir and the robots sat in silence. Lizzie hummed a small tune from their time and Janelle hummed a Speed Racer tune she knew by heart. So slow, so painful to hear.  
  
Pruitt and Michael sighed, rubbing the backs of the younger ones. The darkness consumed them, but the vampir were used to it. They lived in it like it was nothing. The robots were lit by Michael's tubing and Janelle's bright green eyes, glassy with oil.  
  
The stress of Pruitt's knowledge of Anthony's becoming was unbreakable. She stood in the vault they were locked in and looked back to her younger siblings. They looked at her for a second, then back to either their hands or shoes.  
  
She huffed and put a hand upon the door, then sank back to the floor. "I can't believe him. He never has said no before."  
  
"We've always been careful not to poison him," Paul said.  
  
"I know, but I messed up somehow. I assume it was my anger." She looked at them and Lizzie stopped her humming. "We have to find him. Mr. Hecox is very mad with us, I'm sure if it."  
  
"Ian just misses Anthony," Lizzie said in her innocent little voice, "'cause Anthony was his best friend."  
  
"All they did was eat out, play Pokemon on their time off and talk about chicks," Paul snickered.  
  
"True, but they were our feasts and now Ian is terrified of us and Anthony is our new family member."  
  
"So, we're Pruitt's, Robinette's, and Padilla's?" Paul asked. Pruitt nodded and Lizzie sighed. "And Ian saw Anthony like how you had him..."  
  
"We could turn him, too," Lizzie offered. Pruitt nodded at the thought of the two of them like that. "But, what about Ray?"  
  
"Ray is a short stack with loud mouth who only works for the Walters because he has nothing better to do now that he's left YouTube. He talks to the walls and thinks he's on camera."  
  
"He talks to me like I'm an actor in a video," Paul smiled. Lizzie giggled and Pruitt rolled her eyes. "So, let's not turn him. he's too annoying."  
  
"Right," the girls said in unison. In the vault over, Michael had a tight grip upon Janelle's hand.  
  
"You feeling better?" he asked in her ear, resting his chin upon her shoulder as he pressed his chest against her battery. She nodded and leaned her head against his. "Want to go upstairs?" She shook her head and he sighed. At least there was a bed in this vault, given it was a mattress on the floor.  
  
"I want to shut down in here for the night," she said to him. "I can't go to school tomorrow. I messed up and I can't go back."  
  
"Is Admin?"  
  
"Yeah, but he's allowed to... I'm not. By my rules." She looked at him and he scrunched up his nose, his hands moving about her stomach and waist kindly. She sparked and moved.  
  
"Wanna lie down?" he asked. She nodded and he pulled her over to the mattress, cuddling up with her. "If you want-"  
  
"I can ask for things myself. Right now I just want you to hold me and tell me stories and tell me that everything is alright."  
  
Michael nodded and held onto her with an awkward grin, not exactly sure if everything really was alright. The look in her eyes was painful, but her face said sadness, but the way her hands were shaking was fear. Maybe a mix of all three? It was hard to tell and she didn't seem like talking.  
  
=  
  
"Grab him!" Five yelled. Leo pinned Anthony down and forced his head into the floor. Spine came around the corner and put the blade to Anthony's head, Ian running up behind him.  
  
"Dude! How are you alive?!" Ian shouted, his voice cracking. Anthony hissed at him and he screamed.  
  
"Ian Hecox, Smosh episodes can wait," Hatchet yelled.  
  
"If this was a Smosh episode then Anthony wouldn't b bleeding out of his eyes like that! This is real! I think I know what real is!"  
  
"Tell that to Barber Shop Pole," Spine laughed. He put the blade to Anthony's neck and Ian pulled back Spine's arm.  
  
"You can't kill my best friend!"  
  
"Either I kill him or he kills you."  
  
"He'd never do that! Can't Pruitt like, I dunno, help him into behaving? I'm still a feed-ee anyways and I don't care if my take out is more! I can deal with it and Ray's just fine with it I'm sure."  
  
"You'll run dry faster than you should."  
  
"I'm pale enough no one will notice."  
  
"And," Hatchet smiled, "under my control he can't die. His blood can be refurnished with every death and at that rate, one death every two months."  
  
Ian too a second to think, Peter and Annie staring at the three reapers and the one with the emo hair cut. Kinda looks like Brandon Urie...  
  
"Okay that's fine. She can change him I can die I don't care. I want my best friend back." Hatchet and Spine exchanged smiles and Leo slowly got off of Anthony, but Spine kept the blade to his throat.  
  
"Get the vampires," Spine instructed Hatchet. She nodded and disappeared, Leo running off.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I give full propers to NinjaPastry for noticing I never had Leo remove his pajamas before putting on his slacks. That resulted in a freaking hilarious image.


	100. All is quiet, but just a little while before that... Leo had to straighten some folks out, and a truly unexpected development - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone know if AO3 has size limits on their works? Because the chapters aren't usually huge but I have in the neighborhood of 70-80 more chapters in my files...

The Walter girls were huddled in one room, wrapped in comforters and sleeping bags, turning a bad fright into a rather subdued pajama party. The Walter guys had congregated in the game room, unwilling to admit they were as scared as the girls but unwilling to be alone. Steve chucked to himself. As much as the human race seemed to have moved forward, some things didn't change.  
  
Ian sat in a big recliner, passed out cold, his empty flask on the floor beside him. He had wandered in after they had caught Anthony, looking paler than ever. Anthony, it was reported, was in the care of the other vampires, who had their hands full. Ian's blood had been fairly well pickled by the time he'd allowed Anthony to feed, and the new vampire was singing "Milky Milkshake" in full voice down in the vaults.  
  
Steve had come in with Carol, fully expecting to be dragged into the vaults himself... but to his surprise, Carol never even suggested it; fortunately, since it was standing room only down there as it was.  
  
Instead, his fiancee expressed an interest in trying out Megaman, only to find the game room packed by the time they arrived. Steve suggested someone make popcorn but couldn't find anyone willing to go.  
  
David, so he'd heard, had taken the very shaken Gabi to join the other Walter girls, deeply embarrassed by having fainted dead away when she asked him how he felt about her. He was now taking his turn at the game and losing badly, spending the time in between turns staring at the ceiling and groaning at random intervals.  
  
Steve grinned. He'd had his moments of uncertainty with Carol, who was just now watching the game and laughing heartily at the commentary made by the players, but he hadn't let her have much doubt about how he felt. Dragons mated for life... and they couldn't wait, once they were sure they'd found their mate, to begin. He couldn't be more sure if she'd sprouted scales and roared. If she had gone back to England without him, that would have been it. Lonely old dragon for the rest of his days...  
  
He swallowed hard and slipped his arm around her. She leaned against him, still laughing until she cried at David's indignant howls.  
  
\----------  
  
Five strolled by, put his head in, and smiled, then walked on his way. He knew everyone else was shaken up, but it was all in a day's work for him. Some days he thought he'd seen everything, and sooner or later he found out he hadn't, and it gave him hope.  
  
His feet rose gently from the floor as he walked, until at last he gave up and floated easily down the hall.  
  
"There you are, my beauty," he breathed. "Never got over me, did you? You know Annie's my only love but still you try..."  
  
Gravity twirled him on his way. He had seduced her once, just once, and for it she let him have his way with her forever more. But all he ever did with her was fly. She was content to have that... Incarnations didn't get much action.*  
  
He passed Leo's room. The fog was gone... Leo was now sound asleep beside Carolina, dark mist curling softly from his lips. Five was not surprised at this either... not after the royal tongue-lashing he'd seen earlier...  
  
Anthony had been caught. Leo had checked around the house and found that no one had been hurt. He came back in time to find the three elder vampires now in the hall, helping to hold down Anthony. Hatchet and The Spine had insisted upon waiting for Leo's return, to Five's bemusement... he hadn't realized then the reason why.  
  
Once he returned, Leo asked David and Gabi to go, which they did gratefully. He asked the same of Five and Annie, however, Five had insisted that he had stewardship over this house and as such had the right to know what went on in it.  
  
"It is on your head, then," Leo said darkly. He stood, flanked by Hatchet and The Spine, looked at the three older vampires and said, "Do you know who I am?"  
  
Pruitt had looked him casually, even insolently, up and down, and muttered, "Peter's boyfriend," and the others had snickered nastily in that odd way people sometimes do when they know they're in the wrong.  
  
"Look at me," Leo said in a low voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. He asked again, "Do you know who I am?"  
  
They each locked eyes with him in turn, and each gasped and cowered, seeing what, Five couldn't tell. Their pupils dilated abruptly. "Yes, my lord..." they said as one.  
  
A wind seemed to rise around them, ruffling Leo's hair and the cloaks of the three standing figures. In a heavily accented voice that hummed with power, Leo told them, "You rrremain in existence by zhe grrace alone of beings farr above you. Every vampirr you crreate is one less soul for my master to 'arrvest. 'E does not sufferr robberrs. Your feedings are now assurred, but should zhey fail, you will not lose contrrol again, or you will find zhat my master no longer considers you worzhy recipients of his indulgence. Is zhat understood?"  
  
They looked, trembling, upon the terrible face of Grimm's newest protege. The dark power rose in clouds from him as he stood over them, and he looked somehow taller than the ceiling allowed. The very walls seemed to heave and groan with the wails and shrieks of damned souls. Cold spirits flew in and out of the hallway, flitting around and through each of them. Annie gasped sharply and clung to her husband. But Five, unnerving as it all was, stood and looked on boldly. He didn't know what had happened to his son's young ward, but it was certain that he was no longer Peter's responsibility.  
  
"Rrememberr" Leo intoned, his voice split as if into many voices. The walls trembled. "Rrememberr, and you can go on as you werre. Forget again, and take yourr place in zhe abyss. You can only cheat Grrimm for so long..."  
  
The three vampires groveled and wept at his feet. "Pity us!" they wailed. "Have mercy!"  
  
Five looked at Leo, expecting his face to match the cold power swirling around him. To his surprise, he saw a look of pity.  
  
"You 'ave nothing to fear as long as you don't forget yourselves again," he murmured, his voice suddenly gentle, human, and only faintly accented. "Rise and take Anthony to the vaults with Ian. Do what must be done. 'atchet..." He cleared his throat, and with effort, continued, "Hatchet, Spine...?"  
  
The Reapers nodded and stepped in to take hold of the struggling husk of Anthony as the hallways slowly returned to normal. He thought he heard Hatchet whisper, "Ooo, French..." The Spine quickly shushed her.  
  
"I will come and see 'im tomorrow evening, to see whether 'e is 'imself again. But 'e must be watched night and day."  
  
"Yes, lord..." the vampires murmured eerily, scurrying away like beasts after the robots, with Ian trailing behind, tossing back more of his flask.  
  
Leo waited until they had gone and took a deep breath. He smiled sheepishly at Five. "I did ask you to go before I..."  
  
"No, I'm glad I stayed," Five said. "Believe you me, boy, I've seen plenty. Now I've seen more. I assume you being here affords the Manor some kind of protection?"  
  
"If it is in my power, Walter Manor will be protected, sir," Leo said with a respectful nod, and Five felt the strength of his promise.  
  
"Ah, good. Well, get on to bed. You look all in."  
  
"I'd betterr tell Peterr what's 'appened... I mean, tell him what's happened." He shook his head, as if confused. "I'll go back to bed after that. Goodnight," he said quietly, and walked away, becoming invisible as he walked. There was a murmuring sound, and Leo suddenly reappeared and slung a cloak over his arm. Five chuckled.  
  
"First day on the job, apparently..." he had said to Annie...  
  
Five, looking into Leo's room, snapped out of his reflections as Leo shifted in his sleep. Well, there was no sense hovering around and staring at sleeping people. He floated off to bed.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter sank into his bed after hearing Leo's troubling report. The day hadn't been a total disaster, but it had to have been some kind of record for unnatural occurrences in a single day in Walter Manor history. He was still edgy from his mother's endless attempts to pair him off with one of the women there. Why couldn't she understand?  
  
Understand what? He wondered himself. Was it that he didn't like women? No... he liked women. He'd admired several that very evening, as everyone appeared in finery. There were some amazing bodies in Walter Manor...  
  
But none of them was... her. Whoever that was. He knew guys who chased every lady they met. He didn't understand that. Deep down in his cynical, scientific heart, he secretly believed there was one right person. Why did his mother have to be so eager to hook him up with the first available woman?  
  
The bed was so comfortable... he hardly ever made it to bed... It was like a cloud... He slipped into slumber.  
  
Dreams began almost immediately, or so it seemed. He was outside. It was green and lush. He walked along a path and the wind blew on his face.  
  
He touched his cheeks and laughed, feeling his nose, his mouth, his eyelids. He rubbed a little of his shirt on his cheek. It felt so real!  
  
Wait... he was dreaming. But of course he was. Fortunately he'd trained himself to be able to recognize when he was dreaming and interact with the dream scenery. It had been ages since he'd rested well enough for a proper dream. This should be fun! He continued along the road.  
  
A ball of light came toward him and he stopped. It fluttered around his ear and spoke in a sharp, wheezing voice.  
  
"Ayee, you been gone a long time, cher! Whar you been, boy?"  
  
Peter stared at thing and said suddenly, "Little Spirit! It's you!"  
  
"Sho' nuff, it's me! Someone done bust you upside de head, boy?"  
  
How could he have forgotten? He used to dream about this place all the time! "It's been so long!"  
  
"I tell you what! Come on, Vivian gonna wanna see you. She done asked about you."  
  
The little shimmer floated ahead of him, leading the way into the forest. Peter jogged after, wondering how he had ever let himself forget about this place... and Vivian.  
  
He had met her when he was seventeen. He knew she was old even then, but she looked young, except for her hair, which was long and white and beautiful, contrasting with her velvety, deep brown skin. And the violet eyes... so bewitching. And more than that, she acted young. She was full of life, and the way she looked at him...  
  
But of course, it wasn't real. It meant some weird symbolic thing about his unconscious mind. So why was he crying?  
  
They entered a clearing in the trees where a woodsy little house sat as though it had grown from the forest floor. A woman stood in the garden, just rising from pulling weeds. She turned and saw the ball of light first, and held her hand up for it. It settled into her palm and flickered.  
  
"Little Spirit, whah you been? You good-fo'-nothin' feufollet, you supposed to stay here today..."  
  
"I done sensed a visitor, Old Woman! Lookit..."  
  
She looked up and gasped at Peter, who now stood beside the garden fence, looking at her in wonder.  
  
"Peter Walter!" she gasped.  
  
"Vivian..." he breathed.  
  
She glared. "You done said you'd be here by now!"  
  
"What? I am here..."  
  
"In de flesh, you danged rattlesnake..." She let out a little groan of fury. "You got some nerve showin' yo face here now! I ain't seen you in four years! Not even yo sorry dream self! Yo too late! Git out o' my garden!"  
  
"Vivian, I'm sorry... it's... when I wake up, I think it's just a dream. I'm pretty sure even now that it's just a dream..."  
  
"Oh, yeah? Mo' like a nightmare!" she screeched, dipping her hand into the rain barrel beside her and raising from it a ball of water. He was just gaping at this amazing feat when she drew her arm back and slung it at him, striking him in the face. The water clung to it in a way water shouldn't be able to do and hardened into an opaque shell.  
  
"No!" he screamed. He clutched at his face suddenly, gasping in terror. No.. no more mask! He sank to the ground, sobbing in terror.  
  
He felt her beside him suddenly, passing her hand over his face. "I'm sorry!" she cried. The mask vanished and he touched his skin once more, frantically.  
  
"Still there..." he gasped, rocking where he knelt. "Still there..."  
  
She had her arms around him, pulling him close, pressing his head against her shoulder. "Shush," she breathed. "No, no, don't... I didn't mean it... hush, mon amour... I done missed you is all..."  
  
He put his arms around her and clung to her, trying to calm down. He knew it was a dream, but... It hadn't felt like one, not from the start. He could feel her fingers gently stroking his hair and smell her scent. Memories poured back... talking together, sitting and watching her sew, or help women in the village with their children... holding her, touching her skin... the feel of her lips and a whispered promise...  
  
"But I love you, Vivian..."  
  
"Not yet, it ain't proper..."  
  
"Marry me, then..."  
  
Reproachfully, "Just to share my bed, Peter?"  
  
"No... not just for that..."  
  
"I can't marry a dream, mon cher... come to me, Peter..."  
  
"I will, Vivian..."  
  
A kiss to seal his promise... Peter closed his eyes, pained. It was real. It was real! He had promised to come to her... but four years... so much had happened, his father had been away, and then the accident.  
  
The accident! How could he come for her now? He had no face!  
  
"Vivian..." he whispered. "What is this place?"  
  
"You said it was part of somethin' called Kazooland. South Adventurica? I don' know about that... Look, what happened? Where you been?"  
  
"I... forgot. I forgot you. I'm sorry..."  
  
"No... that's what happens. Dreams fade when we wake..."  
  
"Are you just a dream, then?"  
  
"No, mon cher." She kissed him warmly. He felt like he was melting... To feel nothing against his face for so long, and then this! It was amazing...  
  
"Vivian... I don't have a face," he whispered a moment later. "There was an accident... it's just blue light now where my face was."  
  
She looked into his eyes, putting both hands on his cheeks. "No, it's still there... de magic done hid it away, but it's there."  
  
"I know, but... It's not safe..."  
  
"Don't you worry about me, cher. Remember, Peter Walter. Remember this time. I ain't worried about no accident. Come to me."  
  
"I will! I'll remember..."  
  
"Come to me..."  
  
He woke a few seconds later in the brightness of his room. It was morning? He sighed and put his arms behind his head.  
  
Whoa, what a vivid dream! He could still remember a lot of it. There was this beautiful woman, and she had kissed him... ah, yes, he had a face in the dream. And she'd said... she'd said... what? He sighed and stretched, trying to scratch his chin and striking the mask instead. His heart sank and he felt a lump in his throat.  
  
It was still there.  
  
Too bad it was just a dream! He got up, feeling increasingly frustrated. He remembered now why he preferred to doze at his desk. Every time he slept through the night, he woke feeling like he'd forgotten something.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *refers to SPG comic
> 
> And might I add... OHOOOO!!! Peter, you dog. hee hee hee Well, kind of. Not exactly Casanova but still.


	101. Ian angst, Matt wants to visit mom - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short because my brain decides not to work sometimes D: - NP

With a snort, Ian woke to Anthony laying in his bed in the room they shared. He was looking at his Pokemon posters and MLP colouring pages. His eyes were black, his skin was white, and his clothes were changed into clean ones. Ian sat up slowly, unsure if he was going to attack him.  
  
"It feels weird," Anthony said. Ian sank against the wall. "I don't feel anything. I'm cold like crazy, but... man, I don't know."  
  
"Firetruck, Anthony!" Ian shouted. "Why didn't you just let them?"  
  
"I was trying to impress the ladies!" he yelled back, sitting up. Ian jumped and put his arm up. Anthony sighed and let his head hang. "I'm sorry, Ian, I really am."  
  
"Tell that to Teleporting Fat Guy," he said before immaturely throwing his Pikachu plushie at him and running out. Anthony caught the yellow rat and groaned.  
  
"Ian! Don't be like this!"  
  
But Ian was already gone, running down the halls and into the gaming room where most of the guys were still sleeping. He ran out of there and straight into AJ as he was about to leave the manor to go to school.  
  
"Oi!" AJ said as Ian fell to the ground. "What is wif yer?" Ian sat up and looked up at AJ. The bot saw the tears and blueness of Ian's face and sighed. He held out his hand and Ian took it, AJ pulling him to his feet. "Me mum told me wha' 'appened. Tragic. I can be yer new best frin' if ya wan'."  
  
Ian nodded and AJ smiled then walked to the front door and left. Ian sighed and turned around, no one there. At least he managed one friend.  
  
=  
  
"Jingle," Michael said sweetly. She groaned and elbowed him, but Michael insisted. "Jingle, time to get up. We've been down here for too long. Everything's passed over. The vault door opened and Matt stood there, worry on his face. When he saw Jingle, his eyes lit up brighter and he smiled.  
  
"Feeling better?" Matt asked. She nodded and got up from the bed, then fell into the concrete floor harshly. Michael jumped at her and took out her battery pack before something happened and Matt sighed. "Did you leave her on all night?"  
  
"No, she went into stasis."  
  
"Stasis doesn't stop her battery from powering her systems. She's probably low on gas and oil, too."  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"I'm fine." Michael nodded and picked his love up, carrying her out of the vault and up the narrow staircase. "Anyways, I'm taking her out of the manor today."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Someplace we used to go when she was kid." Michael only nodded and turned to the elevator, Matt sliding in after him. "You- You're not gonna ask?"  
  
"Why would I? I trust you with her. You're here big brother. Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"Because I'm taking her home."  
  
Michael stood there for a while and walked out of the elevator. Matt followed and Michael set her upon the bed they shared, walking to the closet and the battery dock. "That sounds nice. Are you staying there? Like, leaving he manor for forever?"  
  
"No, just a visit. I want her to know the difference since I think she doesn't remember it very well. Mom's there and Dad's in jail, but, I just want her to decide where she wants to be. Plus mom really wants to see us..."  
  
"Peter should go with you," Michael said as he powered her up. "Just so she knows who's taking care of her."  
  
Jingle looked at the two and stretched, fixing her hair. "Imma get dressed. Leave."  
  



	102. Mom problems, Vivian's decision, looking for a cradle and finding a baby - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "They're LUUUV arrows!" - Lil Steve Negrete

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NinjaPastry said Grimm looks like Channing Tatum. I didn't actually know who that was (lol) and in searching found this:
> 
> https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTelSAv4Lid7AvJpLmJsdcgdf1Y7RdcZxsjKOnCMH4op549xCcf-A
> 
> And NP agreed that this had the right mojo.

"Peter?" said Matt, peeking around the corner.  
  
"Ungh?" he grunted, still not feeling very verbal. What had he forgotten? And what happened to them calling him "Dad"? He'd kinda liked that, but he supposed things had been rather tense...  
  
"Wow, it was true, you did go to bed. Weird."  
  
"Matt..."  
  
"Could you come with us today? I'm taking Jan out and Mike suggested you come along."  
  
"If you think it will help..."  
  
"Yeah, I do. We're leaving around eleven. It's, um... nine now."  
  
"Alright. I'll go along."  
  
"Thanks. Oh, your mom said to tell you she's bringing you breakfast."  
  
"Oh, good..." he said faintly, still troubled. What in the name of mad science had he forgotten? "I suppose she wants to talk to me about those grandkids she isn't getting."  
  
Matt snickered, gave a little wave, and left. Peter, alone again, sighed. "Why does she always have to try and get me married off... I can't get married, I..."  
  
He jumped! He remembered! It was there, for a split second, just at the edge of memory, clear as day. It was... was... Dang it! It had been right there, right in front of him! He'd remembered something... something that made him feel... wonderful, yes, it had made him warm all over. And shocked. And guilty. And... it had been a sudden slap, kicking himself for forgetting something so important. But he'd gotten so excited at having remembered that it had fluttered away once more while he was gasping in surprise! He swore loudly.  
  
"Not in front of your mother, son," said Five, rounding the corner with Annie, who chuckled.  
  
"We both say worse all the time," she said with amusement. "But do watch your language, son."  
  
"Okay, Ma."  
  
Five put down a tray and Annie added a mug and a small pot of coffee to it. "Did you sleep well?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah, it's been so long since I..." He stopped hastily. One of the reasons he'd forced himself to go to bed was to keep her from lecturing him about getting proper rest...  
  
"Since you got a good night's sleep?" she finished. "Isn't that it?"  
  
Darn it. "Ma..."  
  
"I heard about you sleeping on the desks and everywhere else, Peter! You need to take better care of yourself. Better yet..."  
  
"No, don't say it..."  
  
"You need a wife to take care of you."  
  
He valiantly resisted the urge to roar at her to get out. His father looked at him sympathetically but stayed out of it; not only was it more than his life was worth to get in her way, but as Peter knew, Five believed that what had made him happy would make anyone happy, and in his own way was just as eager to see Peter marry. He eased off his mask and picked up his toast.  
  
"That's so sexist, Ma. Do you even realize? This whole idea of men being too stupid to come in out of the rain if their women didn't follow them around and round them up, seriously..."  
  
"If the shoe fits..."  
  
"It's still sexist."  
  
"Shut up, son," Five said mildly, smiling. "Don't think of it as sexist. Think of it as stereotyping scientists."  
  
"Yeah, that's much better," he groaned as Annie peered at his glowing face. He took a bite of toast and she looked fascinated. "Couldn't you just lavish all that grandmotherly energy on Chelsea?"  
  
"Oh, I am going to be sending them a few things. Poor kids don't even have a bassinet."  
  
"What's that? Some kind of puppy?"  
  
"It's a baby bed, silly. Your old cradle is around here somewhere. We're going to go find it later and clean it up for them."  
  
"Oh!" he said, pouring coffee. "That's really nice, Ma."  
  
"Well, we figured _someone_ should use it..." she said heavily.  
  
Peter stiffened as though she'd put ice down his back. "Ma, thank you for the breakfast, and thank you for bringing it here so that I could eat it away from a lot of stares," he said through clenched, if incorporeal, teeth. "If you'll give me some privacy, I need to get dressed now."  
  
Five was grinning. _Thanks, Dad. Thanks a lot._  
  
"Come on, Annie. Let's leave the boy in peace. It's not going to be easy to find that cradle so we'd better get started."  
  
"See you later, Peter, dear," she said brightly, as though she hadn't just been making him feel guilty for not getting anyone pregnant. He waved dully as they walked out and quickly dressed.  
  
He'd forgotten something. It was going to nag at him all day, he knew it. And they'd just driven it even further into oblivion.  
  
\----------  
  
Vivian sat, leaning against her garden fence, one hand pressed against her throat. The little glowing light hovered near her.  
  
"He done gone, cher," the light whispered. "Maybe fo'ever. Git on up."  
  
"Shut yo mouth, Little Spirit, or I'll turn you into a man."  
  
"You gots to ketch me first, gurl." The light flitted away.  
  
She looked into the trees without really seeing them. Peter... Little Spirit was right. He wasn't coming anytime soon. The enchantment she had cast would mean that he couldn't forget, not quite... but that didn't mean he'd believe it was real. She knew she was a fool, but from what she had seen in her long life, that was a standard effect of falling in love.  
  
She was old, older than the oldest man, but in all her years, she had been too busy to marry, to live for the love of a man... she had been born with gifts, and someone had always needed them, and it had been enough, to be needed. And in this strange place, where the dreams of human beings passed over and through reality, there was a lot of need.  
  
And then a young man, barely more than a boy, had wandered into her clearing and watched, fascinated, her unique way of watering the plants, by lifting the water and throwing balls of it onto each plant. He'd been a gangly sort of kid, tall, fair, with a shy smile and a way of being very quiet sometimes and running on for hours others, explaining some complex piece of information that he complained no one understood... at least, until he had met an 800-year-old woman who looked eighteen. After 800 years, few things that men knew were beyond her understanding, and his remarkable ideas were simple to her.  
  
Except for one, a concept that was new to both of them... and before she had known Peter a year, they had learned it together. She had seen many dreamers pass through on their way to various fanciful places, but only this one, this studious boy on the very threshold of being a man, was able to waken that in her.  
  
As the years passed, she was content to go on this way, seeing him but making no confession, until the day that he walked, now grown tall and handsome in his tousled way, into her garden and said it himself in halting words. And her peace was shattered, with her blessing; it was almost as if her years melted from her and she all but threw herself into his shaking arms. He had held her awkwardly... he did everything awkwardly... his face close to hers.  
  
"Mon cher..." she had breathed as their lips touched. Neither had experience in matters of love but she knew they could learn together, as they had learned to kiss. But she came of older times and older standards than those he knew, and she still honored them. And at her request, he agreed to do the same. They would marry as soon as he could find his way, in the flesh, to her little cottage in a place he called Kazooland.  
  
And then he just stopped appearing. She had worried, then mourned, then become angry... and at last, resigned. And so she resumed her life as it had been. She had almost always been alone, and it seemed she was destined to remain so.  
  
But now... Her pulse quickened once more, her blood stirred. He hadn't abandoned her! He had forgotten... He had been just as happy in her arms as he had ever been, for one fleeting moment.  
  
"You know he done fo'got again, cher," taunted the feufollet, just out of reach.  
  
"I know it," she said absently. "But I ain't gonna. It's time to make my own way."  
  
She needed advice, wisdom beyond even the 800 years she had lived. She rose and hurried to find Them.  
  
\----------  
  
"Look back here, Annie..." said Five.  
  
They dragged the box out together. It was an old wooden crate.  
  
"Oh, that isn't it at all!" she scoffed.  
  
"What is it, then?" he mumbled, peering at the faded writing on the wood. "I can just make out a G..."  
  
"I'm looking over here." She walked away.  
  
Five pried up a board and saw silver, or was it steel? It was filthy, whatever it was. There were big rings of it and an antenna... no, two.  
  
Five pulled out his phone, as Annie crowed that she'd found the cradle, and sent for the robots. Rabbit arrived first, running around the corner before slowing and stumping into the old vault, her eyes glowing with curiosity.  
  
"Who's that?" she asked after peering into the box.  
  
"You think it's a 'who' then?"  
  
"Sure, I see all the bits."  
  
"But you don't remember any other automatons?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
The Spine walked in, moving in his old herky-jerky way, eyes glowing green. He smiled pleasantly.  
  
"You sent for me, Mr. Walter?"  
  
Annie peered out from where she was wiping down the old cradle and smiled. The Spine tipped his hat to her. "Mrs. Walter." She nodded a little uneasily and returned to her work.  
  
"Thank you, Spine," murmured Five. "She's seen a lot of strange things with me, but you like to feel that home doesn't change."  
  
"I feel more comfortable this way, anyway. It's steadying. The change has been... difficult. Hatchet has eased me through the worst parts, but..." He shook his head. "I feel I should apologize again for..."  
  
Five interrupted, laughing. "Spine! You don't need to. Move forward, okay? That's hard enough."  
  
The Spine nodded. "So what is it you wanted?"  
  
Five showed him the box. The Spine peered in, raised his eyebrows, and looked questioningly at Rabbit.  
  
"What is it?" asked The Spine.  
  
"You don't know either?" asked Five.  
  
The Spine shook his head. "Rabbit's oldest. If she doesn't remember anything..."  
  
Rabbit shrugged. Hatchworth buzzed in a moment later.  
  
"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly.  
  
"It's morning."  
  
"Oh. But I met The Jon on the way down and..."  
  
"Morning. Trust me. Have you seen this?"  
  
"That is a box, sir."  
  
"Inside."  
  
Hatchworth crouched beside it and peered in. He sat very still.  
  
"Hatchworth?" Rabbit prompted.  
  
The bronze robot looked up at them in shock. His chin trembled. He wiped fitfully at one eye.  
  
"It is a robot..." he whispered thickly. "Locked away in the vault..."  
  
"Oh..." said the other three almost at the same time. Oops.  
  
Hatchworth stood, making a strange little gulping sound, hunching his shoulders and clutching one arm with the other. "Wh-what are you going to do with it?" he asked the floor.  
  
Five decided all at once. "Can one of you help me get it upstairs to lab two?"  
  
The Spine started to reach for it, only to be stopped by Rabbit. "I can do it."  
  
"But, Rabbit... since you became female..."  
  
"What? You sayin' g-g-g-girls can't lift things?"  
  
"It's not that, it's..."  
  
"You're sexist, that's what you are, ya old fart!"  
  
"No, I'm not, Rabbit! You could carry it just fine if you hadn't insisted on F-cups!"  
  
"Oh, yeah... Alright, you can..."  
  
They turned to find the crate gone. Hatchworth was well on his way out of the vault, solemnly carrying the mysterious robot with him.  
  
The Spine shrugged and followed.  
  
"We'll be in lab two, Annie girl," said Five.  
  
"Alright. Don't cut yourself."  
  
"But Pete Five, what if it's a bad bot?" Rabbit whispered as they followed the others.  
  
"Bad bot?"  
  
"Like them Becile bots. That Hare is a jerk. He got extra nasty after I started wearin' skirts. Now he makes dirty jokes instead of askin' me how I keep from fallin' apart."  
  
Five chuckled. "But this one is in Walter Manor. It's in a box, not locked up somewhere."  
  
The Spine stopped short. Rabbit, hurrying behind, slammed into his back, knocking him forward a step.  
  
"Hey, dummins! Yehr too big ta be stoppin' short like that!" she barked.  
  
"I'll meet you in lab two later, sir," The Spine said, hurrying out.  
  
"What's eatin' him?" asked Rabbit. Her eyes opened wide. "Never mind. It's probably somethin' gross."  
  
Five chuckled, but looked after The Spine, worried.  
  



	103. Going home, The Spine's trial - NinjaPastry

Dresses. The futile, angering, pretty lengthy shirts with ruffles and straps in places they aren't needed. The best part about them is that they never fit. Too big? Lace. To small? Lace. Just right? As if. The ones with tight corset like fittings were the worst. Her battery pack would rip them straight down the side seam, so she finally gave up when Michael left to help Matt pick out an outfit.  
  
She held up one from last night, then another one that she liked a lot but needed to be laced in the back. The one from last night had tears and oil stains on it so she decided against it. The laced one will be fine. Or...  
  
She rolled from her room down the hall an into the lift, going down to the first floor. She cautiously stepped down into the basement and walked around the vaults until she found the one. This one was dedicated to the dresses and outfits designed for bots but were never given to them. Dresses for Rabbit, suits for Spine, bow ties for The Jon, gloves for UpGrade, and roller skates for Janelle. She walked around an picked out a pair, then looked about a little more.  
  
There! She picked it up and slid it into her hatch, running back up the stairs and back into the lift. Once she got to her floor she ran down the hall and into her room, ducking into the closet and turning on the light. Perfect.  
  
"Jan," Matt called, "Nearly time to go!" He walked out of his room and Michael looked into the room first. He saw nothing, but heard zippers zipping. Jan turned the corner in a very designed dress. It looked like a dress that was zipped all the way from the bottom to the top, a long sleeve shirt underneath (black of course) and a ruffled bottom to it. It was amazing and it actually fit her!  
  
Her hair was pulled back in twisted rows and tied in the back with a bow and curls at the rest of the pony tail. She twirled and smiled. "You like it?" she asked. She pushed out the wheels of her skates and twirled on them. "And I found new wheels!"  
  
"You look amazing," Michael sighed, walking over to her. He kissed her and held her sweetly. Matt looked in and groaned, looking away. They stopped and Jan wheeled over to him and he smiled.  
  
"That's a pretty cool dress. Who made it?"  
  
"One of the workers. It was in the basement." She smiled and twirled for him, then he smiled. He was wearing a simple tee shirt and a jacket that looked nice and his jeans. He held out his arm and she hooked her arm in his, Michael waving at them as they walked to the lift.  
  
Peter was waiting tiredly, coffee in hand, at the lift doors for them and nodded when he saw her dress. It was a very cool dress. They walked out to the end of the way and Peter stood there waiting for the cab to pull up.  
  
"Are you excited?" he asked. Birds chirped in the distance and leaves rustled. The sound of the ocean was hearable, but faintly. Janelle looked to Matt, then at her guardian, her father.  
  
"Yeah, I am. It's been two years and we're both dead and gone," Matt said. "But, mom misses us, I'm sure. And he's locked up anyhow so its not like he can... um..."  
  
"Yeah. Never again," Peter said. Janelle's smile went away and she clung onto Matt. He clung right back, it looked like. Peter's mind was still raking itself for the answer to his question, but nothing. It was there, right at the tip of his tongue, but nothing. The cab pulled up and they slipped in, Peter taking shot gun. Matt handed the driver the address and Janelle sighed.  
  
"It'll be fine," Matt smiled. "Mom is waiting for us and she'll be happy to see us, okay?"  
  
"Right," she sighed. "Happy."  
  
When they pulled up, Matt opened Jan's door for her and she slowly got out, looking at the house with worry in her face plates. peter walked past them and looked back to Janelle. Matt took her by the arm and gently walked her to the porch where Peter already was, knocking upon the door.  
  
The door opened and a woman answered, Matt looking away Jan gasped and stared, Peter holding his hand out.  
  
"Hello, ma'am. I'm peter Walter the Sixth, Janelle and Matthew's guardian. You must be Ms. Smith?"  
  
She looked at the robots and then to the man with no face. "It's Ms. Lilly now," she replied. "Please, come in.." Peter nodded and looked back tot he pink and blue bots. Matt led Janelle into the house, peter following. Ms. Lilly shut the door and Matt led Jan to the family room, sitting her down on the couch.  
  
She ran her hand across the brown cloth and was transfixed by the memories. Matt sat beside her, picking up a candle and smelling it. Smelled like lilacs, her favorite flower. Their mother's, that is. Matt looked to Jan and noticed her struggling to keep herself together.  
  
Peter sat in the arm chair, on the very edge, and Ms. Lilly returned with a tray with tea and coffee on it. She offered some to Peter but he shook his head. She looked to the bots.  
  
"Kids?" she asked. Jan and Matt both looked at her and she smiled, teary-eyed. "Would you like something to drink? Orange juice, or milk, or some soda?"  
  
"Soda, please," Matt said quietly. Janelle said nothing.  
  
"January, please answer me. Anything?" She shook her head. This was actually happening. No father to bother them, yell at them. The house seemed lighter without him around every corner with a belt or a stick or something that hurt. Like that one knife he kept...  
  
"Alright. Matt, I'll go get you your soda. Mr. Walter? Would you like to look around? Matt can take you and you can look around if you'd like."  
  
"That'd be wonderful," Peter nodded. He slapped his knees and stood, Matt standing and walking him down the hallway. While Jan continued to feel the couch, Matt led Peter to his old room.  
  
"Welcome to the Mess Mansion," he joked, opening the door. The door itself was covered in decals and bumper stickers, but the walls were covered with band posters. Blue walls, bed nicely made, and a dusty drum set in the corner. Matt smiled and walked in, sitting on his old bed and falling upon it, letting out a groan as he stretched.  
  
"I like it. At least the room back at the manor isn't this messy," Peter laughed. Matt sat up and laughed as well, then stood.  
  
"Jan can show you her room later, but this is all I can show you without you already seeing the rest. Mom's room is off limits, the bathroom is right across from my room, and you've seen the living room."  
  
"Matt," Ms. Lilly called. Matt jumped up and Peter followed, shutting the door behind him.  
  
=  
  
"Gah," Spine screamed. Hatchet put her hands upon his shoulders and stared into his eyes. He screamed in pain and she did nothing but stare at him.  
  
"Spine, get a grip," she coached. "Feel the pain, let it happen. It's nice, isn't it?"  
  
"Frick!" he screamed. "It hurts like a cur!"  
  
"Spine!" she yelled at him. His eyes drained to black, the smoke streaming into the air from his cheeks. He tilted his head back and she drew her hands away as he screamed. She scooted away and held back her tears, knowing the pain all to well.  
  
He stood from sitting and hunched over, Hatchet quickly jumping to her feet. He lifted his head. His hand shot out and he grabbed his scythe from thin air, Hatchet smiling. She grabbed her own and tossed it into her sash. Spine grabbed his scroll and she grabbed her own.  
  
"Ready?" she asked. he shook his head and she smiled. "Good. Allons-y." And like that they were gone, nothing left of them. Now it was time for murder, for soul saving, for a new life to grasp Spine into the depths of death. This would be fun.  
  
-  
  
When he opened his eyes he was met with a woman. More like a young girl. He stood back and watched her colour upon a sheet of paper. Her hair was long, curl, black. When she looked at the doorway without a door, her eyes were the brightest green he'd ever seen other than his won and...  
  
"Janelle..."  
  
She sighed and looked back down at her drawing. Spine peered over her shoulder and saw the picture of herself in a Walter dress and her hand in Spine's on a sunny day in the graveyard. That was a wonderful day. Music lessons, walking practice, reading lessons, and then a relaxing three hours watching the moss turn red from the Blue Matter changing it. Red from green was ponderous, but it happened. On many graves they watched it, wondering why.  
  
He remembered holding her hand nearly every day when they walked, while he helped her learn how again. It was pure bliss, making his core beam light brighter than ever before when he was with her.  
  
"Me and My baby love, Saturday nights...." Janelle sang. Spine gasped and stood back, watching her. "Saturday nights~"  
  
"No," Spine whispered. "You can't make me do this," he said. "Not her. Not New Girl..."  
  
He looked to the door and saw two people standing at the window, then running across the large hall and to the doorway. Black clothes, green accents. Beciles. They waved to each other and one stepped in. "Hello!" he said cheerfully. Jan looked up at him and waved, unsure of who he was. He bared a knife and the other walked in.  
  
"Wanna tell us where they are?" the other said. He was a tad shorter and much skinnier. The first guy was thin, actually. They must starve them or something over there.  
  
"I do not know what you are talking about," she replied. She had a lisp. How cute!  
  
The two walked more towards her. Spine moved to the bed, watching them. The wonder on her face was making him want to cry. He knew exactly what was coming.  
  
"Tell us," the first one insisted, anger in his voice. "Now!"  
  
"I do not know!" she screamed. Now she was crying. The second one grabbed the knife and forced it into her chest, making her cry out for very shortly. She lost her breath. She fell to the floor, onto her back, and the two ran for it. Spine stood, looking out the doorway. His younger self, before he married Hatchet, walked past the door and walked backwards, seeing her on the floor, gasping.  
  
He shouted down the hall and slid to her on his knees, holding her in his arms. Tears streamed down his face and he screamed as she let out her last breath. The current Spine took her in his own arms and kissed her head, then put her in his little bag. He looked at her once more and Michael ran in, Spine Water Squared left.  
  
-  
  
He fell into the hammock and Hatchet reappeared, wiping the blood from her face. They looked at each other. Nothing was said.  
  



	104. Little Robot Lost, Vivian sets forth, When a dork loves a jackalope - Whistler

"It's adorable!" sighed Rabbit, resting her head on her hands and looking at the robot they had constructed.  
  
Hatchworth, who had brightened considerably as they worked, wiped oil from his hands. "May I switch her on, Mr Five?"  
  
"Please. Wait, how do you know it's a 'her', Hatchworth?"  
  
"She is so very pretty. Look at her long eyelashes."  
  
"Makes sense to me," said Rabbit.  
  
"The Jon has pretty eyes, too. But switch her on and maybe she can tell us."  
  
Hatchworth eagerly threw the switch. The little automaton's eyes lit; her long snout opened in what sounded very much like a yawn. She looked around.  
  
"Who are you people?" she crowed in a high, sweet voice. "Oh, wait, you I know!"  
  
She was looking at Hatchworth. "You do?"  
  
"Of course! The suit is new, but I'd know that stovepipe anywhere! You're... what did he say it was? Hatch-something..."  
  
Hatchworth clapped his hands. "Yes, I am!"  
  
"Hello, Hatchsomething! And you..." She blinked winsomely at Rabbit. "I bet I can guess your name! Your name is... Chinchilla."  
  
"Rabbit!" snapped the copper robot.  
  
"With those ears? No, those are chinchilla ears. Besides, Rabbit's a boy!"  
  
Rabbit scowled. Cuteness could only go so far.  
  
"Yeah, definitely a boy. And all he wears is those peculiar trousers with suspenders, just like Three. Because their clothes aren't done yet. And Rabbit doesn't have ears. None at all. Just holes! You have four. Does that mean you hear really well?"  
  
"We have a lot to go over, it seems..." said Five.  
  
"And where's The Spine? He was helping Hatchsomething learn to walk!"  
  
"Um, yes. Well, for starters, who are you?" asked Five, amused.  
  
"I am G.G. the Giraffe. That's short for Gwendolindia Gertrudofferson the Giraffe. I am five years old."  
  
"I think maybe you're a little older..." Five said slowly.  
  
"No, because I was made before Delilah as a test, and Col Walter said he was going to shut me off for a few weeks while he worked on the new robots he needed to thrash Thaddeus and... Where is he, anyway?"  
  
Hatchworth suddenly put his arms around GG and began to wail.  
  
"Hey! Stop it or I'll tell the Colonel on you!"  
  
Rabbit began to sob, too. GG slipped out of Hatchworth's arms and hid behind Five.  
  
"Golly! Say, why is the lady's skirt so short? Everyone can see your ankles, lady!"  
  
The Spine walked in at that moment, looking almost too neatly dressed. His eyes were black. He saw Five staring and blinked hastily. Suddenly his eyes were green.  
  
"Spine!" cried GG, running at him. "Tell this man how old I am!"  
  
The Spine stared at her in surprise. "I don't actually..."  
  
"You don't know? You don't know me?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
With that, GG began to howl, too. The Spine looked completely at a loss.  
  
Five knew how he felt. He was beginning to wish he had just left the crate where it was.  
  
\----------  
  
"You sure 'bout dis, old woman?"  
  
Vivian strapped on a belt containing a number of glowing glass balls and shouldered her pack. "I am. I done wait too long, Little Spirit. If I hadn't had my pride, if I had gone to him then, shoot... maybe I could have protected him. Maybe he wouldn't have been hurt."  
  
"Aw, hail, girl. You believe dat snake oil about losing his face?"  
  
"Peter don't lie to anyone except himself, feufollet."  
  
"How you know? Dat why dey call it lying, cher."  
  
"Hush, now." She put on her sunhat.  
  
The wisp hovered near her ear. "But where you gon' find him? He lives in a whole 'nother world!"  
  
"Fust I got to find Them..."  
  
"Them who?"  
  
"The Three Players."  
  
"Shi-oot, don't nobody know how to find them!"  
  
"They come when they's needed. They'll be there. Anyhow, I got some ideas of my. He tol' me about de place, an' a lot o' things. I know he's Peter Walter. I know his pere is also Peter Walter. I know that they home is called Walter Manor, and that he has automatons."  
  
"He got what, now? Oh-tom, what? Sound nasty. Izzat contagious?"  
  
"It ain't a disease, Spirit. They's some kind of golem. He told me they ain't many like them so I figure it might be enough to go on."  
  
She opened the door. "Watch the place while I'm away."  
  
"Oh, sure, sure..."  
  
She waved her hand and a ripple passed between them.  
  
"D@mmit ta hail, woman!" wailed Little Spirit as the spell took hold. "I was gonna do it anyhow!"  
  
"And now I know you is," she said calmly, and walked out to the sound of a steady stream of profanity.  
  
\----------  
  
"David?"  
  
He jumped and dropped his water. "Hi..."  
  
"Are you okay?" Gabi asked.  
  
"I should be asking you that," he told her, hastily grabbing his bottle before much could spill. "After last night..."  
  
"What about last night?" asked Sam with an enormous grin as he passed by.  
  
David gave him a cold stare and said, "Have you had breakfast yet?"  
  
"Why yes, thank you," Sam replied over his shoulder.  
  
Why? David closed his eyes for a moment and said, "Gabi, have you had breakfast?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Then how about we take a walk?"  
  
They hurried out as Walter staff looked after and exchanged grins.  
  
"Look, I am so sorry I freaked out," he said as they walked. "I put you in danger and I'm just really embarrassed about the whole thing."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He stopped short. "Well, I fainted. I mean, you asked me... what you asked me, and I fainted."  
  
"I guess so." She looked down.  
  
She must think I'm such a dork. "So yeah. I was sorry for that."  
  
"So you're okay? I was really worried."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Well, yes. You've been so ill! I was worried about you after you fainted... I thought maybe you weren't getting well."  
  
"Oh! No, don't worry about me, I didn't faint because of that."  
  
"Oh... Why did you faint?"  
  
Should have let her think it was because you're sick, dummins... "It was..." He sighed, frustrated.  
  
She whispered, "Is it because you didn't want to have to tell me how you really feel?"  
  
"Well... That's kind of it. I mean, I want tell you. I want you to understand..."  
  
"That you only want to be my friend, and not my mate," she finished gloomily.  
  
"No! I do want to be your mate! I mean... Oh, man... I didn't... Holy He!!."  
  
She stared at him. "You do?"  
  
He was shaking from head to toe. What exactly did she mean by "mate"? Boyfriend, or marriage, or bed partner?  
  
Did it matter which one, really?  
  
"Yeah..." he heard himself say softly. "I really do."  
  
Now you've done it.  
  
She looked at him with shining eyes. "So do I," she whispered. She pulled him down toward her. He was just puckering in anticipation when she rubbed her nose against his and stayed there, sighing, head resting next to his.  
  
"Okay... this is nice, but do you mind if I try something?" he asked, looking at her cross-eyed.  
  
"What?"  
  
He bent a little lower, twisted his head sideways, swallowed hard, and kissed her.  
  
He felt dizzy again but he was pretty sure he wouldn't faint. She, on the other hand, was very still...  
  
He leaned away and looked at her. "Was that okay?" he asked nervously. "You aren't doing anything..."  
  
"That was one of the things Tabytha told me about..."  
  
Oh, bother... "You mean, when she told you men wanted certain things?"  
  
"Yes, that was one of them..." she said faintly.  
  
He was suddenly irritated. "Was it okay with you, Gabi?"  
  
"Oh, yes. I thought it was nice."  
  
"Nice?" he cried.  
  
"Didn't you?" she asked, looking worried.  
  
"Nice!" he gasped. "I thought I was flying! I thought it was incredible! It was better than I'd imagined..."  
  
"You imagined that?"  
  
He blushed. "Yes!" he said defiantly. "I have imagined it! I could hardly wait to do it! Tell Tabytha that! I don't care!"  
  
"Why are you upset?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
She laughed.  
  
"And now you're laughing..." he said miserably.  
  
She pulled him down to her, hesitated a moment, and kissed him. His anxiety seemed to explode and dissipate like fireworks. He put his arms around her.  
  
She was right. This was really, really nice.  
  



	105. At the Smiths, Leo and Carolina - NinjaPastry

It was dead quiet in the Smith house, now the Lilly house. Janelle was lost in thoughts and Matt was looking at his Sunkist, stirring the straw in the bubbles and the ice. Ms. Lilly and Peter watched their children and Peter finally sighed, breaking the silence that had consumed Ms. Lilly's already frantic mind.  
  
"So, Janelle," Peter said quietly, gradually getting louder to make sure it wasn't a sudden change in volume, "Would you like to show me your room?"  
  
She looked to her mother and Ms. Lilly put her head down. She looked to her new father and nodded, standing up and smoothing out her dress. Peter stood and followed her back down the hall. Now he noticed the pictures in between the doors. Doors. Gross...  
  
Jan slipped into her room and shut the door, prepping for him to see it. It was a Manor rule to do that before anyone came in. Other wise it was just rude to see socks on the floor or underwear in the shirt drawer. It gave Peter time to turn on the hall light and look at the pictures.  
  
The first one, closest to Matt's door, was Matt himself. A high school graduation picture with his mom and Dad next to him. Jan was tucked under his mom's arm, her black curls pulled back and a bow in the back. That never changed. His smile was the same smile he always had, and still has. Hers, the exact same, cheeky, squinted eyed, adorable smile.  
  
The next one was of Matt, just himself, probably before he got his gig with SPG. He had a Hawaiian shirt on and khaki shorts, drums sticks in his hand and a smile on his face. Just like him. Everything he loves. Then was Janelle.  
  
Before Peter had never noticed how green her eyes were. Everything about her was off. It was hard to even think she was really a Smith. She look adopted. However, she did have her mother's eyes and a family smile like Matt's. Her eyes were a pretty lime green, her black hair had blue accents. Maybe a 7th grade picture?  
  
"Dad," Jan called. He looked at her and sighed, holding up a finger.  
  
"I'm looking at pictures of my kids," he said sweetly to her. She didn't see his kind smile, so she just stood with him and looked at her picture. "When you look in the mirror do you expect to see this?" he asked, pointing to her picture upon the wall.  
  
Matt and Ms. Lilly were looking down the hall at them, listening, but they didn't notice. She shook her head.  
  
"I see only a contraption I've been trapped in. I wasn't supposed to be here, as he always said, and by this point I think he's right-"  
  
"Janelle Maryanne Walter-Smith," he said briskly, harshly. She stared at him and he grabbed her shoulders gently. "You will never say that again. Understood? You do belong here. You always have and you always will. Matt loves you, Michael loves you, I love you, and don't you ever forget that. If you ever left us all of our hearts, mechanical or not, would break."  
  
She was still for a while, then nodded. He let go of her and she walked him to her room. First he saw the door. It was a newer one, maybe a different one in total. The colour was lighter and the knob was a brighter gold painted rather than the dull of the others.  
  
One she led him in, the window was something that made him pause. The window was barred, like a jail cell. "I haven't been in here for so long... I slept in the Hub for a good week before I got thrown out." Peter nodded, looking around the room. She walked to the window, leaning against the bars, and sighed. Peter just wondered around, looking at the many pill bottles and the turned over dresser against the wall.  
  
"This..."Peter said, "this is scary..."  
  
"Welcome to my world." Peter nodded and saw there wan't much to her room. Tape and corners of lined, coloured paper were scattered on the white walls and christmas lights were hanging from tacks along the ceiling, bulbs crushed and dried blood on some of them. He remembered seeing scars on her fingertips when she first came to the manor and told her that she had just been born with them. New Girl believed it, but Janelle remembered it.  
  
He felt uneasy, so he took his daughter's hand and led her out of her room, shutting the door for her. This was far enough. That was all he needed to see of how they lived and it made him sick.  
  
"Ms. Lilly," Peter called, "Would you mind if we went on a walk? Janelle has a place she'd like to show me and you are welcome to visit with us. Matt, you too." Ms. Lilly stood and Matt nodded, standing as well and smiling at Peter. It was a nervous smile and he looked like he had been crying in the short five minutes of Peter being in Janelle's room.  
  
"That sounds wonderful," she smiled with a sniffle. Yep. They had a mother-son conversation. Prying into that would be later.  
  
=  
  
"Leeeeeo," she called quietly. "Leo, time to wake up... C'mon. It's nearly noon and you still don't have pants on..." Or anything for that matter. Carolina ran a hand over his chest and smiled sleepily. She pulled her hair into a bun earlier and had at least a shirt and shorts on.  
  
He stretched and turned over, pulling her close by her waist. "But I haven't slept in eight years. You'd expect me to do so right after I age for that long." She giggled and he smiled. His voice was raspy, as every morning was without hydration.  
  
"I heard over the comms that breakfast was ready. Tiff and Ro stayed the night in one of the guests rooms and made breakfast sandwiches based off of Lord of the Rings. Like, some sort of bread?"  
  
"Oh, Lembas and hummus," Leo nodded. "Delish." They smiled at each other and took their time getting up, walking to the dining hall after getting lazily dressed. Five did give them a few days off to make sure everything was alright.  
  
By the way it seemed, it was. Leo was happy now that he felt the way he aged, Carolina was happy she wouldn't be arrested, and they were both happy to be in love, by some happenings that they either hated or liked. It didn't matter. They loved each other.  
  
In fact, hand in hand they walked to the dining hall, smelling the garlic of the hummus and the war feeling of the lembas bread. There was even the smell of lettuce and mint, Leo's heart racing. If anything could be more nerdy and delicious, he'd probably die. LotR was his favorite thing growing up and before he was Criss-Cross, he was Legolas. It was amazing, to him, of course.  
  
Ro waved them down and giggled her cute little giggle "Hey! I made Lembas bread!"  
  
"Thank you, Miss Rosanna," he smiled at her. The height comparison made Tiff and Carolina laugh. She was a short 4'10" while Leo was a towering 6'5". He took the plate from her and smiled down at her. She smiled right back and Carolina took some from his plate.  
  
"So, how was your night?" Ro asked. "I mean, after all the vampires and everything."  
  
"I was out for the count," Carolina said. Leo nodded. She was, but not for long. "You?"  
  
"The kitchen needed cleaned but someone did that over night. I had a very sleepless night, actually. Vampires in the manor kinda scares me."  
  
"Are you becoming a new Walter Worker?"  
  
"I might, but I still have a show to keep up with. Tiffany is not, actually, because she has Red." Leo nodded and took a bite of the lumbas bread. He instantly smiled. Childhood, or what was left of it.  
  
"Well, we're going to head to the television. I think House is on," Leo said. Carolina nodded and took the second plate of lumbas bread. They waved goodbye to Miss Ro and headed towards the living room 6, sitting on the couch while Spine and Hatchet slept on the recliner, Hatchet sitting Spine's lap and sleeping against him while he reclined and did so as well.  
  
The humans sat upon the couch and watched as the tea diagnosed a child with Encephalitis lethargica or Sleepy Sickness and they ate their bread and cuddled.  
  
"Carolina?" Leo asked. She looked at him and nuzzled her head into his chest. "I'm a Reaper now."  
  



	106. Leo's secret, Vivian speaks to the Three Players - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Including the last line from the previous for continuity... ran a bit long, because the Three Players talk as a team.

"Carolina?" Leo asked. She looked at him and nuzzled her head into his chest. "I'm a Reaper now."  
  
"Mmm-hm..." Carolina mumbled.  
  
"Did you hear me, Carolina?"  
  
"I heard you, Leo. My ear is in the center of your chest, appreciating that you have a heartbeat. You should keep doing that."  
  
He kissed her forehead. "You thought I was dead," he said softly. She nodded. "I thought you were dead, too, for a little while."  
  
She looked up at him. "You did?"  
  
"Yeah. It was horrible. That was when I went looking for you... they wouldn't tell me at first."  
  
She rested her head against him once more and they held each other tightly.  
  
"So you aren't shocked? About me being a Reaper?"  
  
"I'd heard you were more than a Reaper, actually."  
  
"Heard? From who? Was it my grandfather?"  
  
"Oh, no... the other Leo."  
  
"Oh." He felt a surge of jealousy, followed by guilt. He'd told her he understood...  
  
"It's okay if you're angry," she said, guessing the reason for his silence. "I'm angry at myself..."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I do understand, and I don't blame you, and I don't see how I can blame him, but... I want to blame someone! I shouldn't have... I don't know, I just feel like I should have been able to help you, instead of driving you to that..."  
  
"Leo!" she laughed. "Drive me to it? You want to blame someone so badly that you're blaming yourself?"  
  
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Um... yeah. Looks like that's what I did."  
  
"Things were wrong, there seemed to be no hope... and I did something I regret, and you've been big enough to forgive me... and I love you that much more for it."  
  
He sighed with deep feeling. "You should," he said dramatically.  
  
She punched him playfully in the ribs.  
  
"Ow! I have a scar there!"  
  
"You're one big scar, Leo. So... Are you a Reaper or something more?"  
  
"I'm... Well, I'm Grimm's second in command. I just thought maybe my being a Reaper wouldn't bother you as much..."  
  
"No, that seems a lot more vulnerable. I don't want you to be vulnerable to Grimm. I mean, you're not at his mercy like they are, right?"  
  
"Well, actually..." he began. He could still feel the searing pain of the scythe wound, now healed with barely a scar. He'd had a look before going back to bed because it still burned... "I am certainly at his mercy. And I am going to have to pay my dues as a Reaper for a while... I'm still living, and he needs me detached and undistracted for me to assume the full duties of second in command. So I have to harvest souls and take time to train as his assistant, and I'll have to undergo my own trial. But I can do some otherworldly things... I put on a pretty good show last night without even knowing how... oh, and I have some authority over those two." He nodded toward the sleeping robots.  
  
"Wicked! Wait... what trial?"  
  
"Oh... nothing to worry about. The Spine just had his. I guess that's why they're sacked out. Grimm gives a single day of grace as a reward for a successful trial, though."  
  
"He got the day off?"  
  
"Pretty much. He doesn't have to reap tomorrow. It's mostly because they do better work if they have a day to recover. The trial takes a lot out of a Reaper. You have to harvest a difficult soul, prove you're worthy of the cloak. I suppose mine will be especially harsh... I just hope there aren't any ugly surprises."  
  
"Me, too..." She sighed, and her breath tickled the hairs on his arm. He shivered and smiled. "How do you know all this stuff anyway?"  
  
He stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I... don't know, actually."  
  
"It comes with the authority, sir..." Hatchet murmured sleepily, opening her eyes a crack. "Now can you bloody well keep it down? Some of us have to work in the morning."  
  
Leo and Carolina snuggled in silence and didn't bother to point out that it was only ten in the morning.  
  
\----------  
  
Vivian hurried along the forest path. She wasn't going back until she had at least found him and seen whether Peter the waking man would honor the promises and declarations of Peter the dreamer. She looked for the last place she had seen them.  
  
She found the clearing easily, but the Players, she suspected, would be a greater challenge.  
  
Only they weren't. To her surprise, in the open patch beside the road stood a small stage the likes of which she hadn't seen in centuries... bright colors and draperies adorned it, and lining the front were little footlights. And in the center, three little men.  
  
She had seen them, off and on, since she was a child... they changed from time to time but today they appeared the same as they had the last time, some seventy-five years before.  
  
One was fair, and the other two dark. Each wore a little suit of clothes that was strange to her; she had shown Peter drawings she had made of them and he had told her they were wearing two-piece business suits, neckties (two, he added, were bowties), and fedoras. He had recognized the instruments she drew as well; a trumpet, a clarinet, and a bass fiddle. It hadn't shed much light, really...  
  
She stepped close and tried to catch their attention. The trumpet player gave her a little salute and placed the trumpet against his lips. She waited; The Three Players seemed humble, appeared unimpressive, but gave off a great power. She felt like a child in their presence.  
  
They struck up a lively tune and the bass fiddle player began to sing. "After you've gone, and left me crying... After you've gone, there's no denying, you'll feel blue, you'll feel sad..."  
  
Vivian would have interrupted anyone else, or walked away, but she needed their advice and respected their judgment. So she stood, tears streaming down her face, until the song came to an end.  
  
The trumpet player wiped his instrument carefully and knelt behind the footlights, looking into her face. "Now what's this, Vivian? Tears, child?"  
  
"Vivian, been a long time," called the clarinet player.  
  
"But you'd never know it," said the fiddle player.  
  
"No, boys, she hasn't change a bit... not on the outside. But it's inside what counts, eh, cher?"  
  
She closed her eyes and swallowed, unable to speak.  
  
"Now, now..." cooed the trumpeter soothingly, reaching out to cup her chin in his stubby hand. "Your heart done learned some new tricks, eh?"  
  
She opened her eyes. "Against all expectation, Great One," she said thickly, using formal speech. "It has. And I must find him..."  
  
"Then go find him!" he said pleasantly.  
  
"He waits," said the second.  
  
"He don't know it but he does!" cried the third merrily.  
  
"Does he really?" she asked, looking at the first searchingly, feeling more eight than eight-hundred.  
  
"He does. He thinks he is held back by his work, or his injury, or happenstance. He thinks he just hasn't found the right girl. Yet many lovely girls have passed through his life. Since the day he declared his devotion to thee, child, he has seen no other."  
  
"And they don't see him!" cried the second.  
  
"But she can!" cried the third.  
  
"What? They can't but I can? What do you mean?" Vivian begged, wishing they could just come out with it but knowing they would not.  
  
The first looked at her soberly, but didn't answer her question. "How strong is your desire to find him, Vivian?"  
  
"Very strong, Great One. I will do whatever I must."  
  
"Would you pass through the Other Place?"  
  
Vivian leaned away as if avoiding a blow. "The Other Place?" she whispered.  
  
"Peter's house is at a crossroads, cher. Not the Crossroads... but a crossroads. Spirits pass between and guard against invasion, protecting the living as well as the dead."  
  
"Science holds sway but magic is a close second," said the clarinet player.  
  
The third musician added, "Sometimes they are one and the same."  
  
"The quickest route to that Manor is through the Other Place. Would you brave that to go to him?"  
  
She gaped, trembling. Could she? Did she dare? "Mr. Unlucky waits for me, Great One. He has craved my spirit these seven-hundred years. If he were to see me, there in his own land, he would not hesitate to declare me his."  
  
"Ol' Grimm hates procrastinators," chuckled the third player.  
  
"He craves those old spirits most of all," added the second.  
  
"And yours is one of the oldest, and rich with power..." the first said. "Magic, intellect, strength and courage, all wrapped in your preserved chastity. Man has forgotten the power that lies in that... but man never fully appreciated it to begin with. Grimm would have all of it... your power..."  
  
"Your courage," the second intoned.  
  
"And don't forget your chastity. He wants to take care of that personally." The third wasn't smirking now. He was as serious as an undertaker.  
  
"I know that... We've met. He has offered me things I could only dream of... and the price was to submit, body and soul. No, I know the ways of Mr. Unlucky. I've denied him many times, through the lives of others I nursed back to health, as well as through my own virtue."  
  
"Yet he charmed you." The first smiled benignly.  
  
"Ol' Mr. Unlucky is charming. So is Old Scratch! But Mr. Unlucky... he does not love. Charm is mere glamour. Love is not a part of him. And I have given my love to Peter Walter. If I must pass through the domain of my enemy to give Peter all that is his due as such, I will."  
  
The first player smiled. "Then peace, child, for there is another way. You have the courage to pass through He!! itself to be one with your love. You will need it. But to pass that way would be doom. You are under our protection. We would enter He!! to save you, but to save you would mean defeating Grimm."  
  
"To defeat Grimm is to kill him," said the second.  
  
"To kill him is to succeed him."  
  
"And we're partial to sunshine," finished the first. "We would not lose you to the darkness and we would rather not have to enter it ourselves. We champion the ways of love."  
  
"Love drives out fear."  
  
"Fear is one of Grimm's favorite flavors."  
  
"What way is there, then?" she moaned.  
  
"See Rainier, the King. He will guide thee to the portal."  
  
"Portal?" she asked. "Peter spoke of portals! But there are none here!"  
  
"There is one. It will take you to his world, though not to the place where he dwells. But Rainier has friends who can assist, friends in Peter's world. They can take you to him."  
  
"But that is only the beginning."  
  
"Scientific minds are skeptical ones."  
  
"Say what you mean!" she cried, frustrated.  
  
"Peter remembers you only as a beautiful face, a dream, a sweet kiss that never really happened. He remembers a fantasy of love... he will not easily believe that love was real."  
  
"But if I tell him..."  
  
"What will happen?" asked the first.  
  
She looked down. "He'll think I'm a lunatic. He might even send me away."  
  
"Might wanna have a plan," said the second.  
  
"Somethin' good," said the third.  
  
"And there is more to tell before we pass on. If you fail to find him before your orbs are empty of their magic, you will die. Their nature is all that keeps thee alive."  
  
"But I won't die if I do find him?" she wailed. "What, can I live on love?"  
  
"No, cher. But you must have magic to survive... your long life is sustained by it. And the matter that gives you that power is the matter that fills his home, thins the barriers between his world and the Other Place, and obscures his face. To live in Walter Manor is to be surrounded by Blue Matter, just as you are here."  
  
"Live in Walter Manor..."  
  
"Yes. Should you succeed, you will not return to live here."  
  
That was a bit of a blow. But she saw the good of it. Peter had many depending on him, she recalled. He was needed there. But there was another worry.  
  
"How can I live there if he does not know me?"  
  
"Find a way. You must survive in order to win his heart in the flesh, not merely in his dreams."  
  
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So be it," she murmured. "I will seek out the King."  
  
"But be warned, Vivian!" cried the first player as she turned away. She stopped to look back.  
  
"Grimm has a hold in Walter Manor. He has his servants there. None of them would do his will given the choice, but each has in some way sacrificed that choice. None is bound to aid in harvesting you for Grimm's pleasure. But he has their eyes and ears. His own protege is the ward of your Peter Walter. You must be cautious."  
  
"You give me hope and despair by turns, Great Ones..." she said wearily. "How can I dwell safely with my love, even should he know me, on the very doorstep of Death?"  
  
"You must, before you go, seek the favor of Hypnos."  
  
"Sleep?"  
  
"His son, Morpheus, dwells here," said the first.  
  
"Know him well," added the second.  
  
"Keeps losing at poker." The third smiled.  
  
"Seek out Morpheus, who has long esteemed thee and extended thy life, and ask his intercession. When you have gained it, Hypnos will grant you protection." The first smiled encouragingly.  
  
"But..." Vivian was puzzled.  
  
"Hypnos is the twin of Thanatos."  
  
"Who is Grimm."  
  
"Grimm, Reaper Lord. Guess he didn't like the name his mama give him."  
  
"Seek Morpheus," the first repeated. "Gain favor with Hypnos. Then seek out the king."  
  
"Very well. I understand now. I will not lose hope. I will find Peter and Gods willing, he will know me." She turned to go.  
  
"And if he don't?" asked the first, standing.  
  
"Maybe I'll just wait around until he do," she said firmly, marching away.  
  
Behind her, three smiling little men dressed as 1930's jazz musicians faded into nothingness along with their stage.  
  
"You think she can do it, Bill?" asked the third as they faded.  
  
The trumpeter nodded. "Little Vivian hasn't failed anything she set out to do, Jim; not once, not when she was this determined. Ol' Grimm will be obliged to allow her to carry on living, in his very lap."  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
"Oh, hush, Jim. Vivian ain't gave way to Grimm yet."  
  
"That's right, Bob," Bill said as they vanished at last. "Vivian got what it takes, alright. She gonna need it with them Walters."  
  
The little row of footlights vanished last of all, to the sound of disembodied merry laughter.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dipped into my OCs for this one. The Three Players actually came from a dream.


	107. Michael Reed can't get any cuter, Janelle's secret hiding spot - NinjaPastry

Michael wondered about, feeling empty without Jingle at his side. The Reed and The Wheel were basically made for each other and now she was gone away for the day, maybe for more. He turned back up the staircase and into the hall way leading to his and The Wheel's room. He walked in and lay on the bed, grabbing her pillow and holding onto it.  
  
When he was human this would have been more romantic, hoping it smelled like her. But robots don't smell much of anything, so this wasn't worth the action. It was nice to hold onto, imagining it was her, but it wasn't the same. This was frustrating. He sat up and walked back out of the room, her pillow back in it's place upon the bed.  
  
He walked around some more until he found himself in the garden. The roses were falling to the ground, preparing for Autumn. She loves roses, he thought. He picked up one from the ground and put it in his hair, then another and another. Soon he had his own flower crown, picking about the same amount for her to return. They'd have matching flower crowns. How cute would that be?  
  
He sat upon a stone bench and played with his blue matter tubes. They were a strange look on him, but he kinda liked them. It gave his arms room for more hugging-strength. The thought of Peter having workers hug him before he was powered on made him smile.  
  
Then, like a child with a lemon stand idea, he jumped up and ran back into the manor. He grabbed different crates and ripped them apart. Some workers stopped at the front hall where he was building and giggled. This was interesting. He grabbed a banner and painted "Hugs for $1" upon it, then hung it on the bottom of the stand. He got into the little booth and sat, waiting patiently.  
  
Jon walked up to the stand, the human, and laughed. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Raising money to buy something for Jingle," he replied. Jon looked back to Guy who shrugged.  
  
"I think that chip did more than anticipated," he said with a laugh. He smacked a dollar onto the table and Michael stood, hugging Jon tightly. Once he let go, Guy walked up and put a dollar down, opening his arms. Michael hugged him, too, then more workers ran up with dollars. Michael smiled. Perfect.  
  
"So, what is all of this for?" Guy asked as he was busy with collecting the dollars.  
  
"I want to take Jingle to the fair," he smiled. Another hug. Another dollar. Guy picked it up and Jon shrugged. "Summer's nearly over and I want her to be able to have some fun before fall settles in."  
  
"It's San Diego. There is no Fall," Jon said.  
  
"Theoretically," Michael said. Hug. Dollar. Guy. "But the flowers in the garden are falling off and I want her to be able to enjoy what's left of her freedom."  
  
"Freedom?" Jon asked.  
  
"I got a call from the school. Summer classes have been canceled for her but she has to go back in August."  
  
"It's July," Jon pointed out. "So... aw, that's cute."  
  
"Creepy, but cute," Michael added. He hugged another worker and smiled brightly. "I can't wait to surprise her."  
  
Jon and Guy laughed as Guy took the next few dollars and put them in his hand. Guy looked around and Tom was suddenly next in line to hug Michael. "Vous moron," Guy laughed. Tom shrugged and slapped a dollar into his hand before hugging Michael happily.  
  
"Ya know, tickets to the fair are eight dollars a pop, right? This is enough for five, maybe six."  
  
"I want to take her, Matt, AJ, Carolina, Leo, Hatchet, Spine, and Peter, as well as myself." He hugged another worker and Guy shook his head. "A little tip for the stressed out ones. Plus, we all need some family bonding."  
  
"Your face needs some family bonding," Tom joked. Guy rolled his eyes and Jon burst into laughter, curls splattering about as he dipped over, cackling.  
  
"Grand un," Guy said. Tom nodded and laughed. Michael scoffed and continued the hugs.  
  
=  
  
Ms. Lilly and Peter trailed behind Matt and Janelle as they leaped and bound playfully through the grass in the back yard/field of the house. Jan laughed as Matt nearly face planted into the ground, running to catch his balance.  
  
  
"Careful," Peter and Ms. Lilly said in unison. They laughed and Matt grabbed Janelle. She screamed and he ran with her in his arms, Peter smiling behind his mask to hear their screams and laughter ahead of them.  
  
Peter looked to Ms. Lilly and smiled, but she didn't see it. "So, how have things been? I hate to ask, but what happened after Matt died?" He saw her smile fade as she looked to her hands.  
  
"We got news of the crash and knew you had him. I.. I filed for divorce and called the cops on him after he um.. he did some things to me and he got jailed big time for battery, child abuse, some unmentionables... It's been much better without him, but I didn't want to move."  
  
"You wanted them to come back?"  
  
"Human, yes, but robots are just fine with me. But, they are your children now and I know you can take better care of them than I could ever on my own." She looked at him and smiled. The kids were far ahead of them, but they continued to walk slowly in the long grass.  
  
"I take great care of them and Janelle is going back to school, maybe. She ripped her cousin's head off a few days ago and won't be going back until fall."  
  
"She has his anger, I swear by it," she scowled.  
  
"But she has your beauty," Peter complimented. She smiled and nodded.  
  
"That she does," Ms. Lilly laughed. "We better catch up before we loose them," she said. Peter nodded and they ran to where Matt and Janelle were picking flowers.  
  
"Ready?" Matt asked. Jan and Peter nodded. Ms. Lilly said nothing. She had never seen the Hub, but was excited. Speechless, even. When Matt opened the thick, metal door, Peter walked right down, Ms Lilly and Jan following. Jan turned on the lamp and the lights along the ground, like the ones in her room, and smiled.  
  
"Home away from home," Peter read loud from a sign on a wall. "What is this place?"  
  
"A old miner's house that was built underground during the Red Scare, I assume," Matt said as Jan lit a few candles and picked up a comic and showed it to her mother.  
  
"I lived here for so long, no one noticed," Jan sighed. Matt and Ms. Lilly gasped.  
  
"We did," Matt said. "But he didn't so it makes sense it would seem like no one else did, huh?" Jan nodded and Peter took a few comics and flipped through them.  
  
"Where did you sleep?" Ms. Lily asked. Jan smiled, walked over to the back corner cabinet on the floor and opened it. She crawled in and knocked on the floor. "Adventure?" she asked Peter. He shrugged and they crawled though and fell onto a bunch of pillows, then saw a little lit room with two large bed, lights and candles all around, and plenty of canned goods to last a lifetime in boxes against the wall.  
  
"I lived here."  
  



	108. The Spine wakes and sends Steve to meet someone, Vivian meets Sleep - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And if Channing Tatum is Grimm, and Sleep is Grimm's twin, then Channing Tatum is Sleep. But the personality is more like this:
> 
> http://i.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/channing-tatum-feeding-puppy-with-spoon-on-vanity-fair-cover-shoot-july-2013-gif.gif

The Spine slowly powered on. Something heavy was on his chest...  
  
Oh, of course. He smiled.  
  
"Good nap, love?" she murmured.  
  
"You're awake?"  
  
"Just barely. I heard you starting up."  
  
"I think I need to get up... My left leg doesn't seem to be responding..."  
  
"You're joking... your leg is asleep?" laughed a voice from somewhere in the room. The Spine craned his neck impressively as Hatchet wriggled off his lap in a slinky sort of way that he thoroughly enjoyed every time he saw it. Steve Negrete was sitting nearby, eating a sandwich with more meat than he could reasonably fit between his human form jaws. He waved.  
  
"I guess you could call it that... My lovely wife seems to have settled her weight in just the right spot to disconnect the sensors to the rest of the leg." The Spine said. He reached down and lifted his leg by hand and there was a loud snapping sound as the leg re-engaged in the hip socket.  
  
Steve winced. "Sounds like that's not all she disconnected."  
  
"Barely felt a thing..." The Spine gasped, shuddering, as spasms arced through his pelvic assembly.  
  
"I think your Irish is going deeper than the accent..." Hatchet murmured.  
  
"Well, maybe it hurt a little..."  
  
"I thought so."  
  
"Kiss it better?"  
  
She laughed and leaned toward his knee.  
  
"That's not where it hurts."  
  
"I'd tell you to get a room, but you've already got one," Steve said.  
  
"Hush," Carolina said sleepily from where she was snuggled with Leo. She turned back to the television. There seemed to be a House marathon going on.  
  
"So, is anyone working at all today?" Steve asked. "Carol's gone home and I stayed because I figured we'd, y'know... work. We work here."  
  
"Well..." The Spine got carefully to his feet, steadied by Hatchet. "Whoo... Been a while since that joint popped out like that. Five found something interesting. You might check with him. I stood it for exactly one minute and thirty-seven seconds before I walked out."  
  
"That bad?"  
  
"Everyone was crying and..." He shook his head. "No. Not today."  
  
He and Hatchet left without another word. Several seconds ticked by as Steve crammed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and jogged out to find Five.  
  
He didn't have to go far. Rabbit sprinted past laughing. Steve dodged; he might be a dragon but when Rabbit sprinted, he didn't want to be in her way. He jogged along behind, keeping up easily.  
  
"Here!" Rabbit cried as she ran out the back door and threw a flower crown over the littlest metal giraffe Steve had ever seen. It was sitting on Hatchworth's lap under a shady old tree. To his surprise, it moved and giggled with delight.  
  
"I'm a pretty princess!"  
  
Rabbit clapped her hands. "Don't tell Upgrade!"  
  
"What's Upgrade?"  
  
"Ya gotta meet everybody, little giraffe," said Rabbit.  
  
"GG!"  
  
"I know..."  
  
"She is happy here for now, sister." Hatchworth hugged the little giraffe contentedly. She nuzzled against his chin.  
  
"I wanna hold her!"  
  
"Rabbit! Hatchy! Who is this?" Steve asked.  
  
"Steve!" they cried together.  
  
"GG! This is your Uncle Steve!" cried Hatchworth.  
  
"Uncle?"  
  
She rose on shaking legs and primly picked her way through the tree roots to stand before him, looking up, wide-eyed and silent. He looked down at her shining little face that looked somehow thoughtful despite the rigid metal structure, wondering whether he would pass inspection.  
  
"Hello," she said at last.  
  
"Hello, GG."  
  
She cocked her head to one side and piped, "You're not human, are you?"  
  
"Impressive, GG!" Steve said, delighted. "I was here for three years and none of these mooks worked it out!"  
  
"I knew it all along," Rabbit sulked. "I've totally met other dragons. I was j-j-j-just humorin' ya."  
  
"I remember the first one. We all kissed her." Hatchworth smiled.  
  
Steve grinned and looked at Rabbit, sure that this was one of Hatchworth's little odd "memories" that never quite actually happened. Rabbit was looking studiously at the leaves above her. Steve's smile faded. He made a note to ask The Jon about that one later...  
  
GG butted his stomach gently with her head and said, "Hey, mister..."  
  
"Uncle Steve!" Rabbit snapped.  
  
"Can you give me a ride on your back?"  
  
"I don't know, GG... I suppose if your front legs are over my shoulders..."  
  
"Nah, not like that." She leaned in and peered at him coyly with one eye. "I mean flying..." she whispered.  
  
Steve laughed. "If I do that, everyone will want a ride!"  
  
"Who says we don't already?" Rabbit asked.  
  
Aw, crap. Carol had been light as a feather. Rabbit weighed almost as much as The Spine...  
  
"Maybe when it gets dark... I don't want to freak out San Diego."  
  
A collective "yay!" sounded from the robots. Steve sighed. He was going to need a boatload of Advil tomorrow.  
  
\----------  
  
"Morpheus..." murmured Vivian as she walked in the general direction of Chateau Rouge, the castle of King Rainier. "How do you contact a god?"  
  
Prayer sprang to mind. That was the usual method. But while prayers could receive answers, they weren't generally the conversational sort. And Morpheus, she suspected, was not that sort of god. He was the god of dreams, and seemed very likely to be closely involved with Vivian's world. She had seen plenty of activity from him, dreams so often blew through. She had passed six pairs of people making love... or at least, the dream shadows of them... since she started walking.  
  
"Must be the summer heat," she murmured uncomfortably. To her relief, up ahead was a dream of children playing in the rain. They wore nothing but it was in innocence; a great relief after what she had seen so far.  
  
"Dreams," she breathed. But of course, that was the answer. To contact Morpheus, she must sleep. Good thing she was tired.  
  
She passed the children, climbed into a tree, made herself as comfortable as possible (and as stable as she could) and let her mind slip sideways. In 800 years, she had gotten sleeping down to a science.  
  
And then it was as if she simply rose and walked away from her body, through the very air. The world around her was misty. She realized now that though she was asleep, and though she knew enough in her long experience to be able to dream as though fully awake, she still had no idea how to make contact. If Morpheus was there, wouldn't she have seen him in a dream at some point?  
  
And then she saw a man standing before her. He hadn't been there before...  
  
"Vivian... at long last," he said, and his voice was the hush of silence, and music, and birdsong, and a thousand sounds just beyond the edge of hearing.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" she murmured, dazzled.  
  
"Vivian, child! How long I have watched you! You work against me, girl," he said, his eyes dancing. "But only in the most benevolent way. Here..." He waved his hand and a teacup appeared in it. He offered it to her.  
  
"The food and drink of the gods are not for mortal stomachs, my lord," she murmured. For of course, this was him.  
  
He wasn't tall... he had long, wavy golden hair that went to his shoulders... and then he didn't. He was tall, and his skin was fair. And he was dark, his skin a rich brown. His eyes were blue. His eyes were brown. He had the head of an owl. He was naked. He was dressed in cloth of gold. He was shades of gray from head to toe. He was a brightly colored bird. And then he stood, once more, not tall, hair golden, skin brown, eyes green, wearing a tan suit and no shoes.  
  
He sipped the tea.  
  
"Too right. I suppose if you drank this, you might start seeing things." He winked.  
  
She decided she liked him.  
  
"Morpheus, lord..."  
  
"So formal! I couldn't be less formal, my dear. Please, call me River."  
  
"Very well... River... I beg your condescension. I must gain the favor of your father, Hypnos."  
  
"Ah! Yes, the Players mentioned you would need assistance. It's why I came. I've been meaning to talk to you for centuries but you know... work is chaotic."  
  
As he spoke, he continued to shift and change, always returning to the little man with the benevolent smile. She wondered at this... he was so gentle, yet dreams could be so terrifying, so violent. Where did that side of him hide?  
  
"Come, Vivian. Father is just passing across Europe. He should have a few minutes of relative calm before he has to cover Greenland."  
  
"Oh... thank you."  
  
He took her hand and they flew from the golden morning sunshine of her world into dusk over a heaving sea.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a reference to another fic of mine here. Totally different AU but I couldn't resist.


	109. Heading home, School's not much better for AJ - NinjaPastry

After a can of peaches Peter had in his lap and some Spaghetti'os, Ms. Lilly and Peter had managed to get a few things organized in Jan's little house-y home. Matt told Ms. Lilly about the life at the manor, Jan talking about Michael and The Jon and their whole relationship confusion. Peter had to clear some things up about robots and emotions, then Ms. Lilly grasped the idea of it all. It was noon and Ms. Lilly was late for work, but she wanted to spend time with her children.  
  
They were back in a cab on their way home. Peter had decided it would be best for them to leave, seeing Jan's neck kept sparking and her gasoline tank was near empty. In the cab, her head rested on Peter's shoulder and Matt sat in front, gripping on tightly to the door.  
  
No way in Gallifrey was he letting go, the far of getting side-swapped by a big rig was making him shake. The cab driver wasn't too happy about it, either, two (light weight) automatons in his cab in a crash would call for some major lawsuits, depending no how rich the no-face in the backseat was.  
  
"Matthew," Peter said about three miles from the manor, "Do you know who's running lunch today?"  
  
"I uh- I think.. um..." He couldn't speak actual words. The fear was taking him over. Peter sighed and reached over the seats and popped out Matt's battery, Matt falling into the window. It didn't break or crack or anything, but it sure made the cabbie look.  
  
"Did you just kill him?" he asked. Peter laughed.  
  
"Not a chance, good sir. I only powered him off. He is fine, I assure you." The cabbie didn't look reassured. "To the right," he said. Soon Peter was dragging out the both of them, having to drop Matt on the way in to go back for him. Steve, thankfully, walked right up and kicked Matt in the side before lifting him off the ground.  
  
Once Peter set his daughter upon the stairs while she rested, he turned to see Michael, Guy, Jon, and Tom talking by the living room door about money. Steve plopped Matt and his battery upon the steps beside Janelle and Michael turned to look at them.  
  
"What is this about money I hear?" Peter asked.  
  
"Nothing," Guy and Michael said in unison. Guy slipped the money over to Tom who put it in his vest pocket on the inside. Peter nodded, an eyebrow raised, and looked into the living room. The reapers were gone, Carolina and Leo sleeping upon each other while the tele was on. House?  
  
Michael walked over to Peter and picked up his girlfriend, brushing a curl from her face. Peter looked away. Either they were going to kiss once Jan opened her eyes or Michael was going to carry her away all heroic like for a day in the vaults, which made Peter feel sick. Just the thought of his daughter and his best friend going at it was... horrid. Why did he have to upgrade them, let alone let Bunny do most of the functional check ups?  
  
He saw Tom and Guy walk out of the manor without a question. They were famous musicians. They were probably leaving to check with their manager or something. Whatever French dubstep guys do puzzled him.  
  
Peter looked to his son. Well, his adopted son. Tomorrow Ms. Lilly would come and bring the papers for Peter to sign. Finally Annie and Five would have grandchildren, of some sorts.  
  
Peter dragged Matt to the elevator and was able to get hm to the sixth floor staircase to their wing and gave up, sitting on the floor with no battery in sight. Who knew where Spine and Hatchet were, and Admin was at school. Hatchworth was someplace and UpGrade and Jon were about to leave.  
  
He sat against a wall and sighed. Grabbing Matt's power cord from his spine, he plugged him in. Matt screamed and sat up with a jolt, looking like he was in lots of pain.  
  
"I need to charge you enough to get you to your room, I swear!" Peter shouted at him. Matt cried out and pulled the plug, running up the steps before collapsing on the floor. Peter followed him up and dragged him to his room, a little mad about that. And wondrous. Was that why Jan screamed so much after being unplugged?  
  
He'd need to do tests on that, but wouldn't risk hurting his kids. It would be too much to bear. This was possibly the first time he had ever heard Matt scream in such pain, and Jan's was barely enough to take in alone. Additional, he didn't want to fall on their other dad's level and hurt them, no matter in what name it was for.  
  
Peter hovered over Matt and grabbed the battery from the deck beside his bed and shoved it into his back. Matt screamed as he powered on and kicked Peter in the shin, but just a tap. Peter had thankfully moved out of the way.  
  
Ya know," Matt seethed, "You're killin' me here, man..."  
  
"I'm not trying to. Now change out. You have chores to finish up." Peter smiled, then walked out. Was this right? Was this how dads act? Hopefully. Maybe this would go right if he didn't blow up at Jan again.  
  
=  
  
"So, why are you metal?" some Barbie asked. AJ glared at her. Front of the class, a whisper during a movie about a girl growing up in the racist times, living with women of colour. It had something to do with bees?  
  
"Because I'm a robo'," he whispered back. She nodded and bit her lip which was glazed over with strawberry pink lip gloss. "Now shu'up. I can' har th' movah."  
  
"Walter, Lynelle," the teacher called. "Quiet. AJ sat up and pointed at her, his green eyes glowing brightly. "And turn down the hi lights, Walter," she snarled. Her black hair in a little bob cut, not to mention how short and loud she was, made him feel insecure. He sighed steam and put his head down on his hand on the desk, one of the women of colour getting beat by a couple of racist rednecks while the little white girl watched.  
  
This was now going to be the everyday? Reading book from millions of years ago, watching people eat things when they got stuck in his systems and he had to have his father clean them out? Searching the halls for a place to hide when the jocks rolled by? And speaking of...  
  
Toink! A paper ball rolled onto the floor. AJ noticed, but didn't react. The jersey wearing, pimple faced, braced jock laughed with his buddy. Tink! AJ looked over at them and smiled. The jock coughed. He grabbed his throat and started coughing more, AJ turning away. The coughing stopped.  
  
"Ms. King! AJ tried to kill me!"  
  
"Di' not!" AJ shouted. The bell rang. AJ put his beanie on and disappeared, kicking the jock in the jewels before walking to lunch.  
  
Hallways. Gross. Girls with no shirts on (basically), the nerd with their 3DSes and the popular crowds with phones out, clogging intersections and running into people. It was like a highway.  
  
He managed to ninja and teleport his way to the lunch room, sitting in his little corner in the back of the underpart of the stairs. His green eyes lit up the corner just enough for his one friend to join him.  
  
Another Walter Worker who had to take summer classes because by Manor rules, no worker was allowed to go to school during the time of regular school. The pale faced boy slid in under the stairs with him and pulled out a can of oil and a soda for himself. By the looks of the red stuff on his lip, he'd already eaten the Gushers he had on a daily.  
  
"So, Dillon," AJ said, "Wan' a go home?"  
  
"Yeah, but I have, like, three tests."  
  
"Yer no fun."  
  



	110. Spine and Hatchet talking, Annie gets help from Steve, Vivian gets help from Sleep, and Sleep goes and bugs his brother - Whistler

"We should do something with AJ tonight. Go out somewhere..."  
  
"Love, where could we go? Where can a family of robots just go out for the evening?"  
  
"Well, nowhere with magnets."  
  
She snorted with laughter. The hammock swung gently as The Spine kicked one long leg off the floor. Hatchet snuggled closer against his chest.  
  
"Do you think he's quite alright?" she murmured worriedly. "The first day wasn't a proper run. But now... he's all alone out there..."  
  
"You're really getting into this..."  
  
"Into what?"  
  
"Motherhood. Being a parent."  
  
"Aren't you? I have a maternity chip, you know. The Colonel installed it. I thought it had rusted out and I was just as glad. Sodding old fashioned, assuming a feminine robot had to be a mommy to every child she sees..."  
  
"He was hoping you could help Iris with the twins, wasn't he?" The Spine said, sounding amused.  
  
"Yeah. That went swimmingly, didn't it?" she replied sarcastically.  
  
"So it's kicked in now." He stared at the ceiling for a moment and gave her a little extra squeeze. "I like that actually... don't you? I mean, it's... sweet, I guess. It's funny, I can almost see you holding a baby or..." He trailed off.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, well, it's stupid. It isn't possible."  
  
"What, me with a baby? We could order one if we really wanted."  
  
He laughed. "I know. I guess... I just wish we could have one the way the humans do."  
  
He expected her to laugh. Instead, she pressed her face against his neck and sighed, "That would be lovely..."  
  
"But we can't..."  
  
"No, darling."  
  
They fell silent. The hammock swung.  
  
"Did he give you a chip?" she asked finally. "One that makes you act fatherly?"  
  
"Fatherly?"  
  
"You know... protective, sometimes stern, making silly puns? One that makes you naturally want to get me pregnant?"  
  
He was laughing before she finished speaking. "I hope not! I'd like to think I was already protective, and Rabbit thinks I'm stern, and makes all the puns herself. And make no mistake about it, m'dear, I'd get you pregnant if ever I could."  
  
"Hm. Well, you certainly have shown your enthusiasm." She sighed. "So, how can we take our boy out somewhere? Without raising an angry mob?"  
  
"Oh, that's actually not a problem. I've been slipping out on my own for years... I have a few tricks. Have you ever tried human makeup?"  
  
\----------  
  
Annie tried lifting the now cleaned and polished cradle and set it back down with a grunt. She punched a message into her phone and Steve Negrete soon came jogging into the vaults.  
  
"Annie girl! What's the problem?"  
  
"This weighs a ton, Steve! I need a big strong man to carry it upstairs."  
  
"Well, too bad. You called me instead." He grinned. "Not big, not a human, but I can lift it, no problem. Where should I take it?"  
  
"Oh, just put it in the living room. I'll go get them."  
  
"Who? Oh! Do you mean Sam and Chelsea?"  
  
"Of course! Peter isn't going to produce anytime soon so I have to practice on someone!"  
  
Steve could understand why Peter felt stalked, pressured, and generally pushed too far by his mother's zeal. That said, he, Steve, intended to produce just as soon as Carol said the word, and he adored Annie and hoped she'd lavish some of that grandmotherly mojo on any little Negretes that came along, with or without scales. He kissed her firmly on the head and hoisted the heavy wooden cradle up the stairs.  
  
"When's the wedding, by the way?" she asked, following him.  
  
He stopped short and she eeped as she hastily did the same. "I don't know. Good grief, I was so busy being engaged I sorta forgot I was gonna get married!"  
  
She laughed. "And you'll have to contend with extra legal nonsense since you're citizens of different countries."  
  
"Different dimensions, more like! Well, as far as the powers that be are concerned, I'm from San Diego. That's gonna be enough trouble to sort out." He continued up the stairs. "I'd better make some calls, maybe see if Peter has some friends in the Cavalcadium who can help."  
  
"Oh, Peter... the Fifth, that is... knows loads of people. And once that's all sorted, well... If you need any help with the wedding, let me know."  
  
He grinned again, glad she couldn't see and misunderstand. She was one of his favorite people, but Annie was barking up the wrong tree. Once the legal business was sorted, he intended to put his license in his pocket, grab Carol, visit the nearest justice of the peace, and head to Death Valley for a nice honeymoon, preferably before anyone noticed they'd left.  
  
\----------  
  
Morpheus... no, she remembered, he wanted to be called River. River flew Vivian across the biggest expanse of water she had ever seen. The waves were staggering, huge rolling things with seemingly no end... until at last she saw land, rocky and gray in the dim evening haze.  
  
A man stood calmly on the shoreline, looking calmly out at the breakers, poppies springing from the sand at his feet. He looked up sleepily as they landed. A peaceful smile lit his face and Vivian stepped closer, looking at him in wonder. Now she understood.  
  
Grimm... Thanatos, the Reaper, Spectre of Death... was, just as the Players had said, identical to his brother. At least, the basic structure of the man was identical... and there it ended. She and Sleep were old friends, where she and Death were old enemies. Death she had fought. Sleep she had embraced. She hadn't realized Sleep was a man, but now it came together, now it made sense for her to have felt drawn to Death and yet repulsed by him. She felt as if she had found her long lost uncle, for though Sleep looked as young as his brother, both radiated a feeling of something beyond ancient.  
  
At one glance, his face split into a warm, if sleepy, smile, and he pulled her in for the loveliest hug she could remember having since her father died.  
  
"Vivian!" he said happily. "Sweetie, it's you! What's River doing, bringing you out here? It's almost time for me to start on Greenland..."  
  
"Vivian has a great need, Father. She has fallen in love."  
  
"Ohhh..." Hypnos looked at her with wide eyes. "Anyone I know?"  
  
River snickered and no wonder... surely Sleep knew everyone.  
  
"Peter Walter VI."  
  
"Wait... wait... Him?" he gasped.  
  
"Yes... we met while he dreamed... Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"You met while he dreamed? When does he ever dream? His sleep patterns are a disaster! He drinks energy drinks to stay awake! Guy drives me nuts!"  
  
"Oh... yes, I had wondered why he was gone for so long..." she murmured sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, Vivian, sweetheart, we have got to get you two together!"  
  
She was astonished. She had expected him to object! "Really?"  
  
"Of course! He needs you!"  
  
She blushed. "Needs me, sir?" She wasn't sure how to address him.  
  
"Nod."  
  
She nodded. He roared with laughter and hugged her tighter.  
  
"Call me Nod," he giggled. "Yeah, he needs you! You're one of the best sleepers I know. Even if you have to stay up late for a birthing, you always take a nap. And you can get babies to sleep like magic..." He sighed with relish, cooing, "Babby sleep is my favorite!"  
  
He was smiling like a delighted child. She had to smile too.  
  
"Find him! Bed him! Then he'll sleep! Oh, sex postpones sleep but then they sleep so well..."  
  
Her smile dropped and she blushed even harder. She had taken considerable pains not to think of Peter that way... yet. "I... um..."  
  
"Oh, yes... of course. Wed first. Sorry. The gods aren't very focused on doing things in any particular order. I know you have your traditions..."  
  
"I do, Nod. As do you, whatever you may say..."  
  
"Well, I am happily married. She fashions the loveliest daydreams..."  
  
"And Peter has promised to honor my traditions, for my sake."  
  
"Oh, that's so cute!" He released her from the hug at last. "Okay, well, good luck, the first kid is just getting sleepy up in Greenland. I gotta jet."  
  
"Got to what?"  
  
"Father," interrupted River. "Don't you recall where Peter Walter lives?"  
  
"In San Diego!" Nod cried proudly.  
  
River laughed helplessly. "Yes, but which house?"  
  
Nod frowned in a way that struck her as thoroughly out of place. He brightened. "That one little crossroads! Oh... in the same house as those three Reapers... Dang it!"  
  
"Vivian needs your protection. Can it be assured?"  
  
"Oh, of course, of course! I want this to happen. This is gonna be so sweet! Oh, but... Look, he's got to recognize you on his own, right?"  
  
"Does he?" River said.  
  
"I know, Nod. I wouldn't want it any other way. How could I go to him and tell him we met in a dream and he promised to marry me? He would never believe me."  
  
"But baby..." He put his hand on her cheek and looked at her worriedly. "Do you have a plan? If you stay too long without more magic, you'll die!"  
  
"I know. I'll have to stay in Walter Manor."  
  
"They do have plenty. But... well, you find your way, sweetie. I know you can if you set your mind to it. River will keep me posted and I... well, honestly, I'll make sure Grimm keeps it in his pants." He winked.  
  
"Nod, please..." she gasped, looking away for the first time since she'd met him.  
  
"Sorry, baby. I know what the creep wants, okay? And that's only the beginning of it." He gently raised her face toward his, his expression at last serious. "And it wouldn't be the worst you would endure, little angel. That's just to break the spell. After that, he has other ways of violating a beautiful soul. It will be my pleasure to see to it he may not."  
  
He kissed her forehead. "River could take you there if he wasn't on duty soon..."  
  
"She can get help from King Rainier, Father. He knows people."  
  
"Lovely! And I'll have time to visit my good for nothing brother and let him know."  
  
He turned to go. She felt a wrench inside; there was such a safe feeling with him around. He turned and smiled a knowing smile.  
  
"I love you, too," he beamed, scooping her up for one last hug. "Don't be afraid. Grimm loves fear, and hates love. He's not a demon as such; Death can be kind. But love interferes with his business. Go, little one. Go and love. I'll be watching."  
  
He winked, snapped his fingers, and was gone.  
  
"Are you sure he's the God of Sleep?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"Sleep is gentle, rejuvenating, and can protect from hurt and pain, sleep follows the act of love seamlessly... Father is many things, though his title names only one."  
  
She nodded. River took her hand and whisked her back home as abandoned poppies began to wither and the evening tide struck the beach.  
  
\----------  
  
Grimm rifled through papers. He both loved and hated paperwork; it was essential, and he cherished its value, but it was tedious, and yet he had to do it. He just had to. And he hated anything telling him what he had to do...  
  
There was a noise like a yawning elephant. "Hey, little bro!"  
  
Grimm's papers abruptly burst into flames. He swore loudly and hastily beat out the flames.  
  
Nod chuckled. "You need to relax, man. You'll work yourself to death."  
  
Grimm turned very reluctantly to glare at his twin, who was sitting atop the file cabinet guffawing at his own joke.  
  
"Still asleep, Nod?"  
  
"Always. But I have work as well. I just took a break from my happy little gig, dusting the eyelids of mankind, to tell you that one of River's natives will be visiting Walter Manor to meet her betrothed, and that she is under my protection."  
  
"Why would I care about that?"  
  
"That's just what I say! Nothing about it to worry you at all, right? Not your business."  
  
Grimm glared. "So be on your way."  
  
"Right. Just don't forget it. She'll be there in a few days and your people are to let her alone. You remember that I have even lulled Zeus himself..."  
  
"Yes, yes, you're very powerful. Fine."  
  
"Fine. Then I'll be on my way. That kid has fought sleep for about twenty minutes and he's tuckered out... and my lovely wife can only keep him imagining things for so long..."  
  
"Wait!" Grimm cried as Nod raised one hand to snap his fingers. "Who is this lady River wants kept so safe?"  
  
"Oh, that would be Vivian, the Old Woman. Buh-bye." He snapped his fingers and was gone.  
  
Grimm's papers burst into flames once more. He let them burn. So Vivian... no, he had his ways, whether his brother respected them or not... Vian had acquired the protection of his insufferable twin. And she was betrothed.  
  
He rose and pulled her file from a cabinet. There it was... beside her name, another. Peter. He just hadn't realized which one. It hadn't been written yet... just one name as a possibility. Their choices determined whether the name would be written in full.  
  
But was it really that Peter? That cold, skinny scientist? As he stared, the name on the paper changed.  
  
Peter Alexander.  
  
So either more was needed to set the Fates fully in motion, or there was some man named Peter Alexander. It struck him as far more likely that destiny was not yet fulfilled... they could yet be kept apart. He had known he was fighting an uphill battle when he tried to keep Ardo away from Lina and gain a new assistant, free from distractions. He had still come out pretty well... though each of their files now bore the name of the other, written in full. The Fates would have their way with them all yet...  
  
Even Death.  
  
But Vian alone had Nod's protection. Her little lover did not...  
  
"And no tricks, sunshine!" cried Nod, suddenly appearing. "I know about the contracts with Hatchet and The Spine. Vivian is under my protection. And Peter, you delightful idiot, is under yours."  
  
"Get out of my office!" roared Grimm.  
  
"Delighted. I like darkness as much as you but at least get a potted plant. And hey, look on the bright side... so she marries a mortal... That fixes problem number one, right? Her eternal youth, whose magic is directly linked to her virtue? That is why you wanted to get into her panties, right?" Grimm scowled and said nothing. "Of course it is. So Peter deflowers her and she lives out her life and dies at last, and then no one is putting one over on the Grim Reaper. See? It's a win-win. Goodnight, brother dear."  
  
And with a snap, he was gone.  



	111. Spine and Hatchet are still talking, Ian's a spaz, Janelle flips out - NinjaPastry

The flames of the candles in the room made their titanium alloy gleam. Vanilla and raspberry scent filled the room and the hammock swung softly. The screen where QWERTY's face usually rested was lit with with the face of Jonah Hill and Seth Rogan. This Is the End was on, the third movie of the few next hours while Spine kept Hatchet's dress from her and for good reason.  
  
Her eyes were shut while she bit her bottom lip, Spine smiling down at her. "You're beautiful when you sleep."  
  
"I'm n-not asleep," she struggled. Her stomach felt in knots and her vents were steaming heavily. "But.. but-nnngoodness- I'm so-o..."  
  
"Sssooo what?" Spine kept on. She screamed a little before punching his arm weakly. She dropped her jaw and Spine laughed, then held her close to him. On the tele, James Franco snatched a Milky Way from another guy, whose name Spine forgot in the few seconds he groaned and shut his eyes, making Hatchet laugh.  
  
"So done wif you and your stupid face," Hatchet replied. Spine licked her cheek and she smacked him. "Nasty buggah!" she yelled. Spine chuckled and rolled to her side, swinging the hammock a bit more. Hatchet reached for the pillows and blanket, handing him said pillows and covering them with the blanket. He snuggled up with her and propped their heads up with the pillows.  
  
"I love you," Spine sighed, wrapping his arm around the back of her neck and playing with her long hair. She smiled at him and blew out a heart of Nether smoke. "Does that mean you love me 'oo? Did ya speechless?"  
  
She nodded and smiled, curling up into him. Thankfully this was one of those days they could have. Once a week, all for them. Admin would have to reap constantly on weekends due to his school days. Hatchet shut her eyes and listened to the girlish screams of James Franco while the world ended.  
  
The Spine looked to his wife and smiled. The sheer beauty of her thin and model like face made his core beam, if he had one anymore. The way her left hand twitched, the smoothness of her walk and movements, her frame - everything about her he loved to the very rivet. His need to be human made him crave that their adventures actually turned out to be useful for what they both wanted so badly, yet, alas. Humans trapped in robotic shells made for war from the start.  
  
"I've decided 'oo mar'rah you," Spine whispered into her ear. She drew a breath and looked at him, confused. "I said tha we nee a get mar'rah'd again. Recite our vows. Soun good?"  
  
Hesitation. First off, did he just recite a line from one of her favorite musicals, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder ((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV356ZKDn34)), and secondly, was that a proper proposal? "y-yes. Yes!" She smiled and hugged him tightly. He hugged right back and pulled her over him, hearing the laughter from her making him laugh right back.  
  
They looked in each others' eyes and stopped their smiling. "Celebration?" Spine asked. She nodded and kissed him deeply. He returned the kiss and laughed his deep baritone laugh past the kissing.  
  
=  
  
"They're demons, I tell ya," Ian sobbed angrily into his hands. Ray sighed, resting his head against the wall. "Demons!"  
  
"Dude, come on. We both knew this day would come." Ray looked to Ian and his stupid bowl haircut. Ian looked at him with his bright blue eyes and sniffled. His cheeks were flushed blue and his eyes were blue around the edges, making the blue look more white than anything. Ray shook his head. "I mean, putting trust in two kid vampires and a sassy teenager was not the smartest thing of us to do."  
  
"You're the one who laughs at fat people in videos for a living," Ian yelled.  
  
"Says the one who had a talking magical tapeworm come out of his butt!" Ray yelled back. "Your impression of me was horrid in one of your stupid little Ian is Bored videos! More like Ian is a little B!+c#!"  
  
Ian stood instantly from the steps. He threw his flask at Ray, hitting his shoulder. Ray grabbed at the flask and Ian swung a fist at him. Ray dipped out of the way and lunged at him, tackling him tot eh ground. Ray sat on Ian's chest and they clawed at each other until Ian got hold of Ray's spiky black hair and pulled him off. Ray screamed and grabbed Ian's hand, kicking at him.  
  
=  
  
Carolina tapped on Leo's shoulder, then shook him until he woke up, hearing Ray scream like a young boy in the other room. Leo sat up quickly and caught Carolina before she fell to the floor. She screamed and clung onto him, standing once he did. He walked briskly to the front hall and saw Ian kneeling on Ray's arms and clawing his eyes out (figuratively).  
  
Leo walked over to him and lifted Ian off of Ray by the back of his shirt, Carolina sliding on her knees to Ray's side. Ian screamed like a girl and looked at Leo's stern face. Blood dripped from Ian's lip and he screamed again once Leo started to walk off with him.  
  
"Ray," Carolina said softly as she helped him sit up. He was crying out in pain, Ian's nails able to cut his face up pretty good. "Ray, hold on, okay? I'm going to get Paige and Bri and we're going to get you patched up, okay?" He nodded and Carolina helped him to his feet. He was able to hold back his tears until they made it to one of the bathrooms, the door shut and Michael on the other side. he kept knocking, but no one answered.  
  
"Is it locked?" Carolina asked him. He nodded and she growled, then led Ray to the next bathroom and sat him on the toilet lid. Paige and Bri ran in and started to dab up the blood. Bri poked at a cut and Ray screamed.  
  
"Alright alright! Sorry! Carolina, I think he's gonna need stitches on a couple of these," Bri said. Ray looked at her and Paige put a finger to his jaw, making him look back to her while she cleaned his forehead up.  
  
"What happened?" Paige asked while Carolina left the bathroom.  
  
"Hecox and I got in a fight," he sighed painfully. "I called him a little prissy pants." The girls sighed and Ray nodded. "All because he made fun of Equals Three."  
  
"Your break from YouTube is a good thing, Ray," Paige smiled. She held a piece of tp to his cheek ad Bri nodded. She tapped on a cut and he cringed, then Carolina came back in. She handed Paige a sewing kit and they looked to each other. "I can't do this."  
  
"Yes you can you know how to sew."  
  
"No, not human skin. Get Leo."  
  
"He's dealing with Ian."  
  
"Then get Spine."  
  
"I don't even wanna know what he's doing."  
  
"Probably something sexy in that hammock of his with that wifey," Bri winked. She and Ray snickered and Carolina blushed.  
  
"Okay, then make Peter do it," Paige picked up.  
  
"Which Peter?"  
  
"Oh for the love of..." Ray, without the girls looking away from their little battle, took the sewing kit from Paige and stood up to the mirror, then started to sew. The girls shrieked and Bri ran out. "If no one else is gonna do it, why not I do it?"  
  
"Because that's just- ew," Carolina nearly puked, so she and Paige left as well.  
  
"Sorry!" Ray called out. He shook his head and cringed as he pricked himself. He cursed loudly and cried out. The girls screamed and ran on, passing Michael who was leaning against the wall beside the door and humming "The Painter".  
  
His blue tubes lit the dim hall and he watched the girls run past and sighed, then knocked on the door again. Silence. A few huffs and puffs and sniffles here or there, but nothing more, nothing less. The stress made him start crying, quietly, of course.  
  
"Janelle," his voice cracked, "Please open the door!" No answer. He put a hand to his face and sniffled. "Please..."  
  
The shower turned on and he shot away from the wall, looking wide-eyed at the door. Panic struck him and he jiggled the doorknob. Curse Five for making robo-proof doors. He knocked hard on the door.  
  
"Janelle! Get away from the water, please!" he screamed.  
  



	112. Sending Ian to his room, Peter's nightmare, King Rainier - Whistler

Leo, still holding Ian, put his head around the door just as Ray was finishing, quietly sobbing as he stitched.  
  
"You realize you've sewn it crooked? You're going to look like Robert DeNiro in Frankenstein. And those cuts could have been closed with butterfly bandages..."  
  
Ray cried harder, his arms dropping to his sides. Paige sighed and took the thread, trying to figure out how to tie it.  
  
"Nice bedside manner," she muttered.  
  
"You want him to look like he's been used in medical experiments? Look, just put pressure on the big ones and I'll be right back."  
  
"Sure thing, doc."  
  
Leo hurried away. He could just hear Bri saying, "Y'know, it's a lot easier to take him seriously as a medical doctor when he's taller than Michael Reed and sounds like Matter Master David."  
  
He smiled and hurried to toss Ian into his room. "Stay!" he barked, making the window rattle. Ian had just started to jump up and run at him but stopped, teetering on his toes as though suspended under the arms by a rope. His eyes flashed angrily.  
  
"I'll send Anthony in. He needs to feed and giving a pint of blood should settle you down." Leo ordered, and the air sparked between them.  
  
"Yes, sir..." Ian droned.  
  
"Sit down, alright? I have to go tell Peter what's happened."  
  
Ian gave him a look like a whipped puppy and sank to the floor. Leo shook his head and hurried out. He hadn't gone far before he heard a sound that set him running... Michael Reed screaming.  
  
He nearly smashed headlong into David who was just running out of a side hallway.  
  
"Whoa there!" David cried as Leo caught him by the shoulders. "Thanks. What's going on?"  
  
"I'm checking it out. Go get Peter, okay? Oh, and tell him Ian flipped out again and... Go tell Anthony to go to Ian. And tell him I said he'd better take only a pint. Got all that?"  
  
"Got it!"  
  
They ran their separate directions.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter sank into his chair. He could really use a coffee. Not the light, caramel flavored dessert coffee Mrs. Smith apparently favored. It tasted weird through a straw... certainly not his favored brew, which was strong, black, and pumped with extra caffeine. He hadn't been able to score a decent cup or a Monster since his folks had arrived, and his head was splitting.  
  
It had been a nice visit, but draining. So emotionally draining. Right now he just wanted to have one of his favorite drinks and sink into... something... something snuggly? No... it was warm... you wrap it around you... No, you carry it... it was... He touched his lips, or tried to, hitting the mask instead. Chapstick? Something you put on your lips, but you also wear it? It...  
  
He groaned loudly. "It's the thing! The same thing! Why can't I remember?"  
  
He clutched his head, ready to scream. Calm down, Peter, came his accustomed mantra. You can be calm... the mind rules the body. Write it down before other thoughts drive it out, then your mind will be free.  
  
He took slow, deep breaths and repeated the familiar words. He had built certain habits against the times when there were just too many thoughts, too many ideas, and the panic began to rise... He hated losing control.  
  
He scrabbled for a pen and paper and began to write it down. He didn't think it was important, and yet it wouldn't leave him alone. So he made a list.  
  
"Warm, wraps around you, comforting, safe... what else... what would you call that feeling... it's more than safe, it's..." He shivered. He wasn't sure why. He just suddenly felt like he'd taken a shot of electricity. "Well, whatever it is, I like it. Okay, so, tingly maybe. It... makes your face hot? What? And goes on your lips. But nothing can actually touch my face... Maybe I really need a shower?"  
  
Peter yawned. He put down the pen and staggered to his bed. It was a bit early but maybe he would just have a little nap... It seemed ridiculous; he usually had a horrible time falling asleep. But as he sank into his bed it felt as though he'd dropped instantly into a cloud. The sheets were so nice and cool against his neck... he wriggled out of his vest and sighed.  
  
"Can't remember... Can't... remember... forget. Can't forget... don't forget... Vivian!"  
  
He was in the forest. He ran for the house in the clearing, shouting her name.  
  
No one answered.  
  
"Vivian!" he cried, bursting through the doorway. Little Spirit hovered there, eye level, flashing red.  
  
"Feet pue tan!" it hissed. "You got more nerve than a shaved donkey!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"She done gone lookin' fo' you an' you jest come saaailin' on into de house like you owns de place! Well, I gots a story fo' you! Ain't nobody here fo' you, couillon! Git on outta here!"  
  
"Little Spirit! Stop it! I don't understand... where is she? Why are you angry?"  
  
"You fo'got! Again! And she done gone off to Babylon to find a pinhead in a dang haystack! And she done cast a spell to make me stay here until she come back! But what if she don't come back, hey? And you, she tol' you not to fo'get, but you done fo'got, and now she gonna die maybe and I'll be trapped here fo'evah!"  
  
"She's going to die?"  
  
"If she don't find you fast enough! I know, she needs de magic and she can only carry so much!" Little Spirit make fitful hissing sounds that he supposed was crying. "So you just go on back and watch out for her, maybe have some magic waiting..."  
  
"I don't have any magic!"  
  
"Yeuhrm? Dat blue stuff! Dat's de magic! Y'all got that where you come from?"  
  
"Well, yes?"  
  
"Well, you jest git a ball o' that and have it ready."  
  
"A ball?"  
  
Little Spirit groaned in a wheezy sort of way. "In water. In a danged ball of water. Or whatever y'all use."  
  
Peter sat down at last. It was just hitting him. Either his dreams had turned even weirder... or Vivian was real. And he forgot her every time he woke. So she had gone looking for him, and she apparently needed Blue Matter to survive because she was used to it? It was a little vague, but that didn't stop the clutching feeling of worry in his chest... what if she never found him? She would die, and he would only know it in his dreams.  
  
He put his face in his hands. Now he knew why he'd avoided romance for so long. Not because of Vivian... well, maybe. But mostly he figured it was because love really, really hurt.  
  
"Hey..." drawled Little Spirit as Peter gulped and tried not to cry. "Hey now... don' go on cryin' about it. Ain't gonna save her, brah. Go on back. Git de magic. Wait. She gonna find her way. I's jest mad 'cause she done stuck me here. She's a bright gu'l... an' she got some help already, I bet. Go on home."  
  
"You think she can really find me with only a name?" he asked weakly. "How can she even find my world from here?"  
  
"Aw, she know her way around, brah. And maybe she find someone who know you."  
  
"Not likely," Peter snorted mirthlessly. "No, wait... my family is actually pretty famous..."  
  
"See?"  
  
"Alright," he murmured miserably. "I don't have much choice..."  
  
"Peter!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Peter!"  
  
"Stop it!" Someone was shaking him.  
  
"It's six o'clock! You'll be up all night, come on... Look Ian's flipped out. I've sent Anthony to calm him down but it may not work because he's been telling anyone who will listen how freaked out he is about the vampires... and..."  
  
"Oh!" Peter looked around. "I need some Blue Matter! Vi... vampires... no..."  
  
It was gone. Peter roared in frustration and David took a step backward. "Okay, sorry! Next time I'll let you sleep..."  
  
"No... sorry... it's not... it was important... I think..."  
  
"Something to do with Blue Matter?"  
  
"Yes! I need some!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I... don't know."  
  
"Are you crying?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Um... there's water dripping from under your mask."  
  
"Maybe I'm drooling. I was asleep after all."  
  
"Drool is thicker."  
  
"Yuck."  
  
"Look, Michael's screaming about Janelle being near water. Leo wants you to come check it out. He's already there..."  
  
Peter sighed deeply as he got up to hurry to the scene. He had no idea why, but he felt like the world was a hollow shell... and something worse was going to happen. And his head still hurt. It was as horrible as he'd ever felt.  
  
"I should never take a late nap," he muttered.  
  
\----------  
  
King Rainier was a gentleman, in every sense except in ruling his kingdom. He had gained and maintained it through a mixture of strength and charm, and Vivian enjoyed meeting with him.  
  
And to her relief, he never questioned the importance of her quest, except to ask whether it was worth risking her life. She assured him that she had waited too long, and though she could go on living, she would never be the same. She meant it. She had learned over the many years that she could survive any loss. And it had taken just one moment of seeing him again, holding him in her arms, to assure her that though she could survive without him, she didn't want to.  
  
And just like that, after a few hours' sleep, she was at the portal, carrying a few extra orbs of the blue matter they called magic, and finding to her dismay that she could see nothing but two thin trees marking the place.  
  
"Now, you go on through and my friend Henry will help you. I sent word to him ahead of you. If anyone can find this man of yours, it's old Henry. Good fortune to you, Vivian. May love conquer."  
  
She smiled and clasped his hand, then walked doubtfully between the trees. There was a sensation of cold, cold water and the sparkle of stars and then she emerged into a dim morning in a wet, humid place... no, it was just where she stood. The ground was a little sunken and a rusty iron railing surrounded her. She stepped carefully over it and the brambles and creepers, and saw that inside the fenced area stood a little stone.  
  
"William Henry Lamouelle, b. 1944 d. 1944, Our Angel," she read, her hand over her chest.  
  
She heard footsteps on the soft ground. A man walked up to her and murmured, "My son. Only lived a few months. Rainier and I figured no one would stumble onto the portal here."  
  
She turned and saw a smallish man, old but still reasonably vigorous, wearing brown pants with suspenders over a short-sleeved white shirt, looking at her through gold wire framed glasses. He smiled faintly. "Vivian? You remember me?"  
  
But of course! She did now... "That Henry!" she sighed. "Oh, cher, how you been?"  
  
"Well, Vivian. But what is this I hear about you finally gettin' a beau?"  
  
"Betrothed. Only..."  
  
"He cain't remember you."  
  
"No."  
  
"Typical. Well, we best be gettin' home. My grandson can help look him up on the web."  
  
"The... the what?"  
  
He chuckled dryly. "Come on, girl. I'm fixin' to show you some of _our_ magic."  



	113. Oh noes! Janelle got wet and The Spine is being a jerk! - NinjaPastry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because your past doesn't always stay past. And even married dudes need to listen when the lady says NO.

Peter skid down the hallway, Leo and Michael looking at the door. Peter stopped, feeling like a dwarf compared to the taller two. Michael looked like he was about to shut off and Leo was tired. Peter sighed and messed about the keys and unlocked the door.  
  
"How long has she been in there?"  
  
"About... ten minutes?" Michael said, turning into the bathroom and forcing open the curtain. Leo held Peter back from seeing what he could see. Michael fell to his knees and drug out Janelle, her battery out of socket and her eyes dark.  
  
"What? Why won't you-" Peter started, but was stopped when Michael screamed. It wasn't a sad scream, rather an angry one. One Peter had only heard once when he was telling Michael he couldn't work in the manor once when he broke a couple fingers.  
  
"Fu--ing idiot!" Michael shouted. Leo shut the door and looked down at Peter.  
  
"I suggest we leave," Leo said softly. Behind the door Michael was crying, but Peter was more worried about Janelle. "We have vamir to deal with and a bloody Ray William Johnson."  
  
"But- wait, bloody?"  
  
"Jan, please wake up," Michael cried as he forced her battery back into the spine of her body. Her eyes flickered green for a second or two, then she shut down completely. Michael sat there with her head in his lap and cried. "Why would you do this?"  
  
He stood, picking up her dripping wet body, and carried her out and to the nearest workshop. Some workers followed him in as Leo and Peter walked to Ray's bathroom where he was sobbing on the toilet lid. He was muttering something, but Leo only cared about the horrid sewing.  
  
"Peter, go into my room and get the blue box from under my bed and bring it over here, please," Leo directed. He lifted Ray's chin to get a better look and sighed."You, sir, are an idiot. Why didn't the girls do it?"  
  
"They're girls," Ray replied, cringing. Leo nodded and grabbed his pocket knife, undoing the stitching. Ray screamed and Leo put his hand to Ray's mouth.  
  
"I never said it wouldn't hurt. Either you tough it out or I get the sedatives and you suddenly become the next David After Dentist." Ray went wide eyed and shut his mouth, Leo handing him the tooth brush from the counter. "This yours?"  
  
"I don't even care," Ray said, grabbing the brush and biting down on it. Leo laughed and continued to undo the stitches.  
  
"This reminds me of being deployed. Once my dad got really bad cuts on his arms from a suicide bomber and got cut pretty bad. Some smart-alec thought he'd do the stitching and I was the one to clean up his mess." Ray looked at the man and smiled a little, then Leo pulled out the rest of the string. "But, it gave me great practice. Dad wasn't too happy about it, but he accepted my apology for when I accidentally cut his arm more."  
  
Peter snickered from the doorway and Ray shot him a glare. Leo continued his work, but a tugging feeling knotted in Peter's stomach. So much happening at once, again. Where was his dad? Probably loving up to Rabbit and Hatchworth.  
  
And then there were the kids. One who was who knows where and then there was the one who he thought was dead by this point. He looked to Leo and sighed. "I'm going to check up on her," he said without context as to who he was checking up on. Leo shook his head and then Peter left without a word.  
  
=  
  
Hatchet looked into the mirror, feeling a strange feeling she'd never felt before. Rendered speechless, she looked to Spine. He smiled, teeth white and lips soft, like flesh, when she touched them. He looked human- she looked human. Her teal eyes were hidden with fake eyes, like contacts, Spine explained.  
  
Her hands were on his face, marveling at his mastery. "How come you've nevah told me you could do this?"  
  
"Hidden talents are my favorite thin's." Spine laughed as she touched her own face, looking back in the mirror in their room. Her long fingers were covered with pale skin-like silicone. She smiled and looked at her face, her defined cheekbones covered with the silicone. "You look like a beaut, m'love," Spine said. He stood behind her with his hands upon her shoulders, leaving a kiss on her neck.  
  
"AJ will be so confused," she giggled. Spine chuckled and fixed his shirt he stole from David's closet. She had on a dress she got from Janelle's collection. A pink and black dress with little hearts on the straps. Spine had a black dress shirt on and jeans with black shoes he usually wore, Hatchet in black slips. "Well, when he gets back home," she said.  
  
"Which should be soon, actually," Spine replied. Hatchet looked at him and crunched her nose. He noticed and tilted his head. "What?"  
  
"You don't look right." She slid past him and grabbed the fedora from the hammock and sat it upon his head. He adjusted it and smiled. "Perfect." He smiled at her and she laughed.  
  
"Okay, why do you look like David and Pruitt?" Chelsea asked. They looked to her and she stared at them.  
  
"Because we do," Spine said simply. "Is Admin home, yet?"  
  
"Yeah, the bus just got here," she said. "Dillon just texted me."  
  
"Go get him for me and bring him up here, please," Spine said. Chels scoffed and walked away. "It was the only way she'd get him," Spine defended himself.  
  
"You could have said it a bit nicer," Hatchet scolded. He sat upon the hammock and huffed.  
  
"I couldn't hold it back," he confessed. He looked at Hatchet and his head shook a bit. He grabbed the fedora and tossed it to the ground, then stood and walked to her. She walked back into the mirror and Spine smiled down at her. "I'm a Reaper now. Isn't rude the way to live now?"  
  
"Being a Reaper has nothing to do with how you treat a lady," she snarled. He pressed against her and laughed.  
  
"Well, it's certainly had an effect."  
  
"Get off me..."  
  
"But you look so pretty," Spine whimpered.  
  
"Ey! Bloke! Get off me mum!" AJ yelled. His father looked at him and Hatchet quickly shut him off, even for the moment it would work. She ran from her trap and grabbed AJ, Spine standing tall once more.  
  
"Hatchet? What's wrong?"  
  
"You've gone mad as a hatter," she said, sounding like she was about to cry. Spine shook his head and took a step towards them, but Hatchet pulled AJ and herself back.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Hatchet, please believe me," he said. She looked at him, soft, warm brown eyes glaring at him.  
  
"I'm getting Admin made up and we- not you- are going to go to a park and read in the rock piles."  
  
"Hatchet-"  
  
"No, you sick dark soul. Have a goodnight in the Nether sucking up to Grimm and dealing wif bloody hands while my son and I have a nice read."  
  
Before Spine could say another word, she was gone. Chels looked back into the room and crossed her arms.  
  
"See, The Spine, you can't deal with this reaper thing."  
  
"I know," he said with his head hung. Chels sighed and walked in, sitting on the hammock. He joined her and she smiled at him.  
  
"Would you like to talk about it?"  
  
He hesitated. Tell a mortal of the dead-work? "I... it's like having a pain that you can't locate. A doctor asks where does it hurt and pokes around and it hurts in three different places. It's the three pains that I can't locate. I have phases... Hatchet and I is one."  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked in hopes of getting some advice in return. She and Sam were tipsy, if anything. Some days he was lovely, others she couldn't find him for the life of her.  
  
"We are a dislocated joint. She was locked away and I was the only one of us to visit her every few years. Our bond was from so long ago, a sister-brother friendship. Then one day I saw myself and her sitting on the swings at the park and laughing and... being together. Holding hands, Eskimo kisses, that kinda stuff."  
  
"But what went wrong? Why are you a dislocated joint?"  
  
"One day I was whispering funny stories under the crack int he door and the next she was gone..."  
  
"Gone?"  
  
"Five had said something about getting the East wing on the first floor redone, re furbished, something like that. The workers or of the carpentry went in and went out and she was gone. I knocked on the door and said our word and got nothing back. I thought she had finally rusted to death and I went away for a while. I hid in the vaults for three and a half years. From 1999 to 2002, no one could find me. I missed the world as it passed and didn't care with her gone."  
  
"When did she return?"  
  
"Some time around 2009."  
  
"Seven years later? After your depression?"  
  
"Yeah, expecting em to love her again. It was something hard to go through, in all honesty. She's pulled me into something I can't get out of, really. We got wed a year ago."  
  
"And no one knew."  
  
"Not a living being, none of our siblings, and not any of the Walters. A hidden pain, the dislocated joint. I wanted out, but she held me in in a good way. I wanted to rust in the vaults but the knowledge, the hope of her coming back strung me up and dragged me from the vaults. And soon I knew her as a silver skinned beauty who liked to watch Jeopardy with me. All day I'd see her on and off and she'd seem tired or angry or upset every time. I later found out what she was and I asked her to marry me."  
  
Chelsea nodded and Spine looked at her. "But, you never answered me."  
  
"She's slowly but surely killing me. I have no core. I'm a empty shell. I used to weigh 900 pounds, and I weigh nothing now. I stand on a scale and it's a negative number. I love her, but now I spend my days killing people. I end lives now instead of chase Rabbit down the hall when she steals markers from Hatchworth and draws on Jon's face while UpGrade and Jingle laugh and put bows in his mustache. I miss doing that and it's another unexplained, unplaced pain that I can't rid."  
  
"Maybe you need more time away from her? A little break, maybe?"  
  
"I've asked her to recite our vows," he said sadly. She looked at him funny.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. The way she smiled at me, they way her screams rang in my ears and made my body ache. I love her, but I hate her."  
  
"I would offer a divorce, but you'd surely say no."  
  
"And I cannot bring myself to that... Chelsea, I just need some time alone. If anyone asks where I am, tell them I am working and they'll know, I hope." She nodded and patted his knee, then walked out. With a sigh, he stood and walked out, walking to the vaults, and locking himself in with only a candle and a pile of books in the corner.


	114. Leo sounds French, Chelsea can't help out, Vivian is on her way to San Diego, and the Walters Squared are having some trouble - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chelsea is far enough along to start to experience an unfortunate trait of pregnancy... the body's way of protecting the unborn from dangerous chemicals and toxins...

Leo finished stitching Ray and gave him a shot of antibiotics. "Now keep these clean. I'll check them every day or so to make sure they aren't infected. And Ray..."  
  
Ray looked at him tragically. Leo sneered slightly as he said, "Try to be less stupid, eh?"  
  
"Why are you talking like that?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like a fashion designer."  
  
Leo narrowed his eyes.  
  
"I'm just saying..."  
  
"Shut up, Ray," Leo ordered, his brief slip corrected and all traces of French accent missing. He hurried from the room.  
  
He got a message on his cell. "Janelle still shut down. Need help drying out the parts."  
  
"Peter..." he sighed.  
  
He met Carolina on his way there. They stopped for a quick cuddle.  
  
"He called you, too?" she asked.  
  
"Zhere's going to be a lot of parts to inspect. 'e probably scrambled zhe staff."  
  
"Ohhhh...." she breathed. Leo groaned. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I sound like a d@mned idiot! Grimm thinks he's funny..."  
  
"Are you kidding me? I love it!"  
  
"You're just saying that, right? To make me feel better?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You like it when I talk like zhees? Argh! Well, like z... like that?"  
  
"I'd ask you to do it more but we have work."  
  
He still couldn't believe it. He shook his head.  
  
"Listen to me. The only objection I have to that French accent is that it might make my ovaries explode."  
  
He snorted and gave her another quick hug. They had work to do, very important work. But when that was done... If the accent alone had that effect, how would Carolina respond if he actually spoke French?  
  
He grinned helplessly.  
  
"What?" she asked, smiling.  
  
"Tell you later," he murmured as they hurried to the workshop.  
  
\----------  
  
"Janelle still shut down. Need help drying out the parts."  
  
"Still?" murmured Chelsea. She hadn't known Janelle was shut down in the first place. She hurried to the workshop.  
  
Janelle was already in pieces. Peter was opening a bottle of bleach.  
  
"Just a little in a gallon of water. Only wipe where necessary... I just don't want any mold growing." He turned to Chelsea. "Oh! Um, I'm sorry. You can go back to your room or wherever..."  
  
"What? Why? I came to help."  
  
"We have certain liability issues, Chels. You're pregnant and, well..." He held up the bleach. "Fumes, y'know. The room has a ventilation system but since you're an employee..."  
  
"I'm not gonna sue you!"  
  
"It's not even that," said Bunny gently as she brought in the bucket of water. "Do you really want to risk it? I mean, just in case?"  
  
Chelsea glared at them rebelliously. She looked around the room for for someone to back her up, even though she had a feeling they were right. And just when she was starting to get used to the idea of having a baby...  
  
Sam jogged in at that moment. ""Oh, hey!" he said brightly. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?"  
  
She stared at him for a moment and sighed deeply. "Just fine. There's some chemical fumes around, so Peter said I'll have to sit this one out. Y'know, the baby."  
  
He beamed and hugged her. "You pissed off?"  
  
"Yeah... kinda..."  
  
"Just remember... it isn't that you can't handle it. It's that no one wants to risk our baby."  
  
"I know..." She turned to go.  
  
"Chels..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
He kissed her tenderly. "Thank you."  
  
To her utter fury, she started to cry. "Ugh!" she growled. "You're welcome! I'll see you later!"  
  
She stomped down the hall and back to their room to have a proper tantrum where no one could see... and to hide the fact that even the faint smell of the bleach had made her feel like she was going to toss her cookies.  
  
\----------  
  
Vivian was at the house of Henry Lamouelle (good friend of Rainier, king of the land of dreams) getting assistance in her journey from his and his grandson. And Henry Lamouelle's grandson, Justin, was a remarkable man.  
  
First, he had some sort of oracle, a thin metal book with lettered buttons and a changing picture. He spelled words with the letters and the oracle, curiously named Google, responded in pictures and words. Sometimes the answers were cryptic, and he was obliged to ask differently. But in the end, he had gained the answers he required. He then used the oracle to secure the earliest available passage for her and Henry to the land of San Diego, where they would be met by Justin's mother, Emily, who would convey her to Walter Manor.  
  
But Justin was remarkable in another way... He was a dragon. His mother had passed through the portal and fallen in love with a young man there. The marriage lasted only a year, and she had returned home pregnant with Justin.  
  
It explained the curious fact that Henry was short and fair, where Justin was tall and dark, from hair to skin. His eyes, however, were dark blue. Vivian, with her brown skin and silky white hair that made her stand out in a crowd, felt quite at home.  
  
They gave her some clothes that Justin said his wife had sent her. They were a little snug in the chest and hips but fit reasonably well otherwise.  
  
Henry explained as they got into his car, that they would be flying.  
  
"Won't the people here be alarmed by the sight of a dragon flying overhead?"  
  
Henry chuckled and waved her in beside Justin. "The boy is driving us to the airport so that I don't have to leave my old Ford in that overpriced parking lot. We'll be flying in a machine."  
  
"How wonderful!" she gasped. "Is everything here run by machines?"  
  
Justin started the car. "We get a lot out of them. But I wonder, Miss Vivian, if you know what it is your fiancé does? I couldn't help noticing, when we looked him up, that he is in fact THE Peter A Walter VI. I'd thought so but I wanted to make sure. I've followed the family a little, even thought of trying to get a job there."  
  
"So what is it that he does that concerns you?"  
  
"I wouldn't say it concerns me, so much as that I wonder whether it will concern you."  
  
"He mentioned automatons."  
  
"Yes. Robots. Very fine ones, too. Machines, though. Will that frighten you, do you think?"  
  
"Well... I hope not."  
  
Justin laughed. "Good enough. Love conquers all, right?"  
  
"I think that it does, Justin."  
  
Still, she felt very lost in the big, busy airport, and followed Henry like a maidservant, sometimes holding onto his sleeve for fear of getting lost. He took her hand at last and said gently, "Now, don't be afraid, Miss Vivian. You were my guide when I was a boy, and I aim to be your guide now. We'll go on out to California and I'll have a nice visit with Emily while I wait."  
  
"Wait for what?"  
  
"To see whether you need me to bring you back."  
  
She gasped. The thought had never occurred to her. As old as she was, she felt like a child again when it came to Peter. She had come to be with him and had no intention of returning. But Henry's words made her suddenly feel like a fool.  
  
"Now, don't do that..." he said quickly, as she clouded up. "If he don't see that you're the girl of his dreams, he's a danged fool who doesn't deserve you."  
  
It didn't help. But she nodded and patted his hand as they walked into a tunnel and through a small door into the aircraft. They found the seats marked with the numbers assigned to them. Henry held her hand once more as they took off. She was both amazed and terrified as the great machine roared into the sky... What a world this was!  
  
Vivian gazed out at the blue and white sky, her heart pounding. It was so beautiful! And when she arrived... She realized she hadn't really dared before to believe it was possible. She would be face to face with the real Peter Walter. Would he know her? She would have to wait and see...  
  
And now that she was so close, it suddenly felt as though she couldn't bear to wait another second. But if he didn't know her... She swallowed hard. Well, she would just wait as long as it took.  
  
The clouds drifted lazily by. Vivian's eyelids grew heavy. She drifted to sleep, imagining Peter meeting her at his door and knowing her instantly, and taking her in his arms and kissing her...  
  
She didn't remember until she woke, as they approached San Diego, that he'd said he had no face.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchet and AJ sat on a pile of rocks in the park. Neither said much.  
  
"Why did we do this again?" he asked dully. "Only I have homework, Mum."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry," she said gloomily.  
  
"There a reason we came out here without Dad?" he asked as they walked home.  
  
She sighed.  
  
"You two havin' a barney?"  
  
She smiled sadly. "Just a little disagreement."  
  
"Oh, I know what that means. My programming says when your mum says she and your dad are having a disagreement, it means they're having a barney."  
  
"AJ..."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"It's... not really appropriate to discuss it with... You're only a child!"  
  
"I'm insulted," he said lightly, sounding amused. "Who can you discuss it with, then? Someone who understands? Someone old enough, and smart enough, and not a child... and maybe who was there when it happened and feels just as awful as you do..."  
  
"Oh, stop it..."  
  
"There's this guy I know who might be helpful..."  
  
"You're not funny."  
  
"You know what's not funny? Having to sit in a park with your mum, dressed as a fleshie, while she sulks about having a barney with the man she loves..."  
  
"Oh, shut up."  
  
"And being insulted by the woman who gave you life... well, the woman who placed the order, anyway."  
  
She remained silent this time, stalking home irritably. AJ followed reluctantly. When they reached their room, it was empty. AJ looked askance at his mother. She stared into the emptiness as though not seeing.  
  
"Mum? He's probably just taking some time to himself to calm down. It's not like there's anywhere he can go anyway..."  
  
"He was made up like us..."  
  
"Oh..." He walked in and saw a note in the hammock. "Hey, look!"  
  
She picked it up and read it while he looked on uneasily, afraid to ask.  
  
"You're right, darling. He's just taking some time."  
  
"Oh. Then..."  
  
"It's okay. Everyone needs time, right?" she said dully.  
  
"Right..."  
  
"I just... wish it didn't have to be this way."  
  
"What way?" he asked, and immediately wished he hadn't.  
  
"Him being a Reaper. He should never have had to become this... he was a singer, a musician. He made people happy, he made them feel alive. Now he's a literal killing machine."  
  
"Well... So'm I. So are you."  
  
"You were made for it. I never had a future any other way. I know he's just getting used to it, but... when I see him, and know he did it for me..." Her voice trembled.  
  
She was right. He was just a child... he wanted her to stop. To his relief, she did.  
  
"Go and do your homework."  
  
"Right. I'll just. Yeah. See you later."  
  
He hurried from the room and almost got the door shut before she broke down. He closed it hastily against the heartbreaking sobs.  
  



	115. The Spine pouts - NinjaPastry

Have you ever heard that sound of a large metal object scraping across the ground, that loud stinging, shrieking sound it makes? The way it sends shivers up your back, makes your head shake in hope of getting rid of it? Well, the way the blade of an enchanted scythe being dragged down the halls of the Nether were making all of the soul-servants cringe.  
  
The fedora was tipped over the dark, black, swirling shadows of his eyes. A light purple mist flew behind his sulking and protruding spinal blades. red dirt stuck to the sole of his hunting boots like mud as he walked about the slight hills. Grimm set him on the mission of collecting the escaped souls from their cells, and there were not that many. That or they had hid quite nicely.  
  
A bubble, one that looked like Navi of Legend of Zelda, but purple and light-sucking, floated beside him.  
  
"I'm not detecting any signs of them, sir," it said in a voice like Wheatly from Portal 2. Spine looked to the bubble and sighed. His eyes trailed back to the mud, the iron and quartz particles sifted within the dirt sharpening the blade as he walked on.  
  
"Sir," the bubble said, "You still have yet to name me."  
  
Silence replied. The black rubber of Pine's lip quivered and he stopped walking entirely, even as slow as he was walking.  
  
"Your name shall be Cobble, by Grimm law, Bble. Pronounced Bubble."  
  
"Very fitting sir, thank you." Pine smiled and then went back to a neutral face, spotting a light blue mist hiding behind a lava fall.  
  
"Two o'clock," Pine whispered to Bble, picking up his scythe and holding it, ready to reap. The fake human skin had melted off of his body, so the lava shimmered about on the reflection of his chin and nose, his hands getting some light as well. They crept slowly towards the lava fall and the mist slid out.  
  
Pine threw out his hand and the mist let out a shriek. Pine then swung the blade at it and hit it, sucking it into the bag at the handle where his hand was. He felt the shivering cold of the lost soul and drew in a deep breath, loving the exhilarating feeling.  
  
He let his head fall back and deeply chuckled, wanting the share the feeling, but felt another pain in his metal. That's right. Joint problems...  
  
"Sir, Our Lord is calling you and I back. Shall we head on?"  
  
Pine stood upright again and glared at Bble. He smiled a little,just a twirl of the side of his mouth, and chuckled.  
  
"Don't call him that."  
  
"Why not, sir?"  
  
"He's such a Queen. Don't let him be one." Bble floated idle and Pine turned around, walking back to the small hut he built. He walked through the doorway and set his scythe down upon the cot he was provided, then sat down. He put his face into his hands and laughed, looking back up to Bble.  
  
"Sir, why are you laughing?" Cobble asked.  
  
"Because," Spine grinned. "I just realized that I've ended all I've ever worked for because of that wench."  
  
"Madam Chet is not a wench, rather a torn spirit."  
  
"Oh, and I'm supposed to sew her up?"  
  
"Supposedly so, sir."  
  
"Well, I don't exactly wanna."  
  
"Madam Chet loves you, sir."  
  
"And how do you know this?"  
  
"She sings softly in her room of you."  
  
Spine looked to Cobble and took off his fedora. His eyes glimmered a black and purple stone like glimmer with the glowing rocks piled around the walls of the small hut.  
  
"What room?"  
  
"A room with a hole in the roof, where rain drips softly upon the ground. her clothes are torn and rust-covered and her eyes leak black oil upon the pillow with years of stain. A young automaton sits on the other side of the door, another with a smoke stack pipe wandering about the adjacent room in worry."  
  
"Admin and Hatchy... She's still a wench and I'm not going back."  
  
"That's fine, sir, for it is your choice. Your son, however, wishes for your return."  
  
"Tell him to grow a pair," Spine hissed, grabbing Cobble and shoving him within his bag with the lost souls. They'd all be returned to Grimm within the next five minutes, so there was o use in keeping Cobble out. Better rid of him so he'd stop talking of the family.  
  



	116. Leo's orders, Vivian arrives, Annie's assumptions, Peter meets Vivian - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd better clear Grimm's name... he's a pretty scary character, but not all that his brother seems to think. Yeah, it's long... I've been waiting for this one for weeks...

Leo dropped his box into a chair. That was the last of it... or the last he planned to move over tonight.  
  
Carolina had suggested they might take a room in the family wing and he had agreed; he could easily render his own room private with a wave of his hand, but he didn't want to raise any awkward questions with those on the staff who didn't know about his powers.  
  
Carolina dropped her box onto the bed, stared at it for a moment, and then moved it to the dresser.  
  
"Better."  
  
"Is that everything?"  
  
"Everything I need tonight." She pulled at his shirt and he leaned in for a kiss. "You were going to say some more things in that accent..." she murmured, lips close to his.  
  
"Oui..."  
  
"Ooo, that's even better..."  
  
"Ardo! Here!" barked Grimm.  
  
And he was torn from Carolina's arms. "Sorry! Be right back!" he cried as she squeaked in dismay.  
  
"Did I interrupt something?" Grimm asked lightly from behind his desk.  
  
Ardo said nothing. He stood before his master, arms folded, irritably flicking his fingertips together out of sight of the personage before him, knowing it was either that or swear long and loud and he didn't mean to give Grimm the satisfaction.  
  
"Relax, boy. My business is brief. I have another appointment on the way. First of all, enjoy your tryst while you have the time. Even with your expanded years, I don't expect you've had sufficient experience in lovemaking to make it last longer than fifteen minutes or so, so I doubt that will be a problem."  
  
Ardo clenched his fists as angry smoke began to curl around his feet, but kept his expression carefully neutral. "Is that all? I like to think what I do in my bedroom is my business, sir."  
  
"Now don't hold back here. I gave you the accent, I'm not going to be troubled if you relax and use it."  
  
Ardo sighed. "I don't relish ze idea of being watched while I... well, I don't relish ze idea of being watched, period."  
  
"I don't sit around and watch you. I have better things to do. But I did make sure to catch you before you got too far. I think you should thank me."  
  
"Sank you," said Ardo through clenched teeth.  
  
Grimm snickered ever-so-faintly and Ardo seethed. "You're welcome. She's waiting for you, you know. Very restlessly. The delay will not be in vain I assure you. Now. As I said, enjoy it, because come midnight you receive your first assignment."  
  
"First assignment? Oh! Yes, I had wondered..."  
  
"I assume the cape Chet gave you is still present?" Grimm glanced at Ardo's back and there was the sensation of additional weight for just a second. It faded. "Yes, good. Use it well. But you'll need this."  
  
He held out a folded scythe. Ardo took it, surprised. "Zhese are real?" he gasped. He flicked his wrist and the scythe opened like a switchblade, snapping open stage by stage and clicking into place as it went until he held a full length scythe, ready for use. "I sought zhat was just a game..."  
  
"Oh, you played that one? I was rather flattered. Between you and me, I got the idea from them. Good, isn't it?"  
  
"Oui..." Ardo breathed, forgetting to even speak English. It was a beauty. He hadn't expected to be so taken with it. "Ebony..." he murmured.  
  
"And finely pressed steel. Too good for reaping, really. But you must be equipped befitting your station. Hang it at your waist. It will be there when you need it and vanish when you do not."  
  
Ardo snapped it shut and placed it at his hip. It hovered there as if inside a sheath and slowly became incorporeal. Ardo fought a strong urge to fanboy about it.  
  
"Next, you have a guest coming to Walter Manor. Her name is Vivian. She has important business in the Manor and you and the Reapers there are to give her free reign."  
  
"What is zis important business?"  
  
"Not really necessary for you to know that. In fact, the key here is simply not to get in her way. You see, Ardo, even an incarnation can make a stupid mistake. This Vivian is currently under the protection of my miserable brother, Nod. I rarely admit this, but he is extraordinarily powerful. Almost the equal of Death. Almost. Enough that I see fit to oblige him.  
  
"But I do so more because it will benefit me as well. I have had a thorn in my side these eight-hundred years. The little stings can be the most maddening. And I have taken pains to remove this miserable thorn and been misunderstood, accused of being a lecherous beast. Unjust, totally without foundation. But Nod always did say I was the evil twin..." He sighed deeply. "As if I needed some mortal wench when... well, Nod has made a point. If I simply stay out of the way, the problem will rectify itself. I would help it along, but I suspect Nod would see me taking action and leap to conclusions. No matter, Vivian is a very determined girl."  
  
"Can I 'ope that you eventually tell me the full tale? I must confess I'm very curious now..."  
  
"Well... In a nutshell, she is immortal. Not in the way that I am, but immortal. Her father found favor with another incarnation, who was able to pull a few tricks and gain his daughter immortality for as long as she remained chaste and virginal. A condition few people maintain for long... And wouldn't you know it, she went and became a career woman and never took a lover, much less a husband..." He shook his head.  
  
"And zhis will be corrected in Walter Manor?" Ardo asked, astonished. "She'll find a lover there? And then she'll die?"  
  
"A husband. If Fate has its way. And no. The terms were that on the day she surrenders her virtue, she becomes mortal. I still have to wait another seventy years, give or take. But it will be a tremendous relief to know there isn't a random immortal running around. How she has pained me! And all because some idiot thought it was an even bet, gambled, and lost."  
  
"Interesting," murmured Ardo, barely able to contain his amusement. He just had to make a wisecrack, though it might anger Grimm. "Only it seems to me very few can grant immortality... What were you sinking... er... thinking, Grimm?"  
  
Grimm glowered at him but to his relief did not retaliate. "Just remember this, Ardo... never play poker with Fate."  
  
The Spine appeared in the room, his expression, if anything, more sour that Grimm's. He nodded curtly to Leo, who waved back.  
  
"Ah, Pine. Right on time."  
  
Grimm waved his cigar and Leo was standing beside the bed once more. Carolina was laying on it in an oversized t-shirt, fast asleep, her hair still wet from a shower. Apparently he had taken a bit longer than expected...  
  
He sighed and reached for his hip, and the scythe appeared. "Just checking," he told it, and it faded away once more. He smiled. It was almost sentient. He wondered how long it would be before he named it...  
  
Shaking his head, he looked at the time. Fifteen minutes before eleven. He supposed he should just let her sleep. He slipped into bed behind her, put his arm over her gently, and closed his eyes. Then he opened them, leaned in, and kissed her neck. She woke with a shiver.  
  
"Mmm... that had better be you, Leo."  
  
He burst into laughter and she sighed with what sounded like relief and rolled over to put her arms around him.  
  
"Où en étions-nous?" he murmured, head against hers.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Where were we?" he breathed, nuzzling her neck.  
  
"Here. Here is good," she sighed.  
  
\----------  
  
Vivian stared at the imposing building, its windows shining in the pale San Diego night.  
  
"You sure you just want us to leave you here?" asked Henry.  
  
"Yes. I have to brave this alone. If I can't stay, I'll die. I'm down to my last two globes..."  
  
"Alright," he sighed. He squinted at her bag and said, "Are you sure? That thing was glowing a lot brighter when we left the airport..."  
  
She looked into the bag. "Open the door!" she gasped.  
  
She hadn't gotten the knack of car doors yet. Henry jumped out and quickly opened the door. Vivian bolted from the car.  
  
"Thank you both!" she called, hurrying to the doorway. There was no door...  
  
She could feel a faint trickle of Blue Matter from here. It wasn't enough. She knocked, but the sound seemed to be absorbed by the huge, darkened front hall of the building.  
  
"Try the doorbell, hon!" called Henry's daughter from the car. Vivian rang the doorbell and waited, feeling slightly dizzy. Come on... she thought anxiously. Please... someone...  
  
\----------  
  
"They were just delighted," said Annie.  
  
"Huh?" grunted Five, putting down his book.  
  
Annie wriggled into bed next to him. "I said they were delighted! With the cradle!" she added, shoving his arm.  
  
"Good!" he cried.  
  
"What was in the box, anyway?"  
  
"A robot. Little giraffe built by the Colonel. We got her up and running, though."  
  
"Oh, my! Where is she now?"  
  
"She's curled up with Rabbit in the conservatory. Says it's one of the few rooms that looks pretty much the same as when she was shut off. They built a little blanket fort..."  
  
"Oh, that's precious..."  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
"We have a doorbell?" asked Five.  
  
"Peter must have put it in when he had all the doors removed." She scowled at the open doorway. "It's ridiculous... how is anyone supposed to... you know..."  
  
"They manage. He's got a prophylactic dispenser in the vaults now..."  
  
She snorted. The doorbell rang again.  
  
"Well, come on," she said.  
  
"It's eleven o'clock!"  
  
"But with the blasted door gone, anyone can just sail in here, dear. We have to go see."  
  
He shrugged and slid out of bed and into his slippers, and followed her downstairs.  
  
A figure of a woman stood leaning against the doorway, silhouetted by the steady orange light of the city. Annie flicked on the hall light and the woman squinted against the sudden brightness.  
  
Now that they could see her, both Walters were taken aback. She was a lovely young woman, with smooth brown skin, violet eyes, and long white hair. It was an extraordinary combination. If she hadn't had faint white eyebrows, Annie would have thought she was wearing a wig.  
  
"May we help you?" asked Annie.  
  
"How do you do, ma'am... Would this be Walter Manor?"  
  
"It would... I mean, yes, it is. Who did you need to see?"  
  
"I apologize for the late hour..."  
  
"Cajun..." murmured Five. Annie shushed him.  
  
"My name is Vivian and I need to see Peter Alexander Walter VI."  
  
"Well, I'm Peter Alexander Walter V. Will I do?" he said pleasantly.  
  
She smiled weakly. "I'm afraid not, sir."  
  
"Shame. Well, Peter keeps strange hours, so I'm sure he's probably still working. I'll see about bringing him down to speak with you." He turned, hesitating. "I take it this is important?"  
  
"Very," she said quietly.  
  
He nodded, smiled at her, and hurried away. Annie sighed.  
  
"No fool like an old fool."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Come on in, dear! You look done in. Come along... Don't be afraid. I'm Peter's mother, Annie Walter."  
  
Vivian's eyes widened, but she walked in slowly and sat on the bench Annie indicated. Annie joined her.  
  
"Well... Vivian. That's a lovely name. Do you have any others?"  
  
"Well... I never needed any other..."  
  
Annie nodded. It was clear the girl didn't want them to look for her parents. She couldn't have been more than eighteen. "Well, alright. Just Vivian. How old are you, if I might ask?"  
  
The girl hesitated and Annie almost nodded. Underage... What could she want with Peter? A possibility struck her.. but surely not...  
  
"Nineteen, ma'am," Vivian said with a certain shiftiness.  
  
Sure you are.  
  
"Child... I must ask. Are you in some kind of trouble?"  
  
"I am," sighed the girl.  
  
In Annie's day, that usually meant one thing... "And is Peter... is my son... involved?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am..." Vivian said after a moment.  
  
Annie was beside herself. The very idea! After raising such a fuss about her suggestion that he settle down and start a family, and here he was, fussing over his robotic daughter while this poor girl... But when had Peter found the time?  
  
"Well, don't you worry, dear," Annie said, patting her hand. "You've done the right thing in coming here. We'll get this all straightened out."  
  
Vivian looked at her strangely.  
  
\----------  
  
"Pete! Come on, someone's at the door."  
  
Peter continued straightening loose parts. "No one comes to the door..."  
  
"And yet she's here. Come on, it's important."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"She won't tell me or Annie. That's how important it is."  
  
"Dad..."  
  
"Leave Janelle to dry overnight, son. Michael's shut down and Matt's charging. Everyone else has wandered off, you've done everything you can. Come on, there's a pretty girl at the door."  
  
"Is there?" Peter asked absently, gently pulling a blanket over Janelle. Five snorted.  
  
"Getting paternal?"  
  
"A little." He sighed. "Alright."  
  
They hurried down to the front doorway, Five trotting ahead. Peter brooded over being interrupted. Now that he wasn't busy, the nagging feeling that he'd forgotten something was creeping in again. He was halfway across the entrance hall before he noticed the woman sitting with his mother. He froze.  
  
"Well, what are the odds of that?" he breathed, barely audible.  
  
He had dreamed of a woman like this, he was sure of it. Lovely... violet eyes... very rare. And her face...  
  
 _What have I forgotten?_  
  
\----------  
  
Annie was careful not to bark out what she was thinking. If all went well, this could well turn out to be the thing she was waiting for and she didn't want to blow it. Vivian stood and started to walk toward him. He closed the distance and extended his hand, which she accepted.  
  
"Peter Walter?" she murmured. "I am Vivian."  
  
"Vivian..." he prompted. His left hand moved to join the right, closing around hers almost protectively. Annie glanced over at her husband, but he wasn't paying attention.  
  
"Just Vivian," she replied, her voice trembling.  
  
"Are you a singer or something?"  
  
"No," she said thickly. "I... just came here because... I need..."  
  
"Do you need a job?" asked Five.  
  
"We're not really hiring..." Peter said faintly.  
  
"Peter!" scolded Annie. "You are not throwing this child out into the cold!"  
  
"Oh, no... I didn't mean... Wait, it's summer..."  
  
"You know what I mean!" She looked at Vivian, who was staring at Peter with tears streaming down her face. What in the world...?  
  
"Don't be afraid," he said gently. "It's just a mask."  
  
She nodded weakly and sank in a faint. Peter hastily dropped to his knees and caught her before she hit the floor.  
  
"She's fainted, Mom!" he cried unnecessarily. He slid his arms under her and struggled to his feet.  
  
"I can see that! Let's put her in a bed for now, poor child. She needs her rest."  
  
"She does?" he asked, turning his mask toward her.  
  
Annie shot him a withering look and hurried up the stairs. "Come on."  
  
Peter glanced back at his father. "What did I do, Dad?"  
  
Five shrugged. "It won't hurt to put her up for the night, Poor kid's wrung out."  
  
Peter turned, nestling the woman against his shoulder, and followed his mother.  
  
Five looked after them, noticing the way Vivian's pale hair hanging down over Peter's arm looked like a bridal veil. He snorted.  
  
"That'll be the day," he chuckled, and headed back to bed.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The game mentioned in the part about the scythe is Grim Fandango and a remastered version is currently available on Steam. It's an old favorite.


	117. Unkie The Jon helps out - NinjaPastry

"Hatchworth, my database tells me that mum is depressed."  
  
"Silly boy," he yawned, "She's just sad."  
  
Admin looked to the bot lying upon the workbench, stretched out, sleepy. "Uncle Hatchworth," he said weakly, "Are my parents splitting up?"  
  
The room went silent again, Admin leaning his head against the old wooden door, listening to his mum's hopeless humming of Wired Wrong. Inside, she dragged her finger against the wood frame of the cot and etched another tally into it. 100 years, 2 days.  
  
"I got your message," The Jon said, peering into the workshop, dusty, cobwebbed, dark. AJ and Hatchworth looked at him, then AJ leaned his back against the closet door and sighed. Jon walked into the workshop, shaking a little. His younger sister was sad, and in a dark place, and his brother and nephew were trying to help. What more could she ask for?  
  
He walked to the door and knocked lightly. "Hatchet?" She continue to hum, stopped for a second, then continued. Jon turned back to Hatchworth, seeing him tap his toes to the beat and twitching his fingers at his waist and beside his neck as if to play the bass.  
  
"Hatchet, I'm going to take care of Admin Jon for a while, okay? Give you a break?" She only continued to hum. "He's going to move into my room for a while. UpGrade's offered her side of the bed for him. I'll make sure he goes to school and everything, okay?" He and the boy looked to each other and Admin nodded. He stood and looked to his uncle, seeing the contrast of light and dark between them.  
  
Jon had gotten used to wearing lighter clothes, like grays and blues instead of the blacks he always wore. Dress shirts, still, but not all of them black. The bowtie and suspenders stuck, but nothing else really mattered. His hair was constantly back in ponytails and his hat was no more. Kinda that "I can't care" look from being dressed up as mayor for so long every day.  
  
Admin and Jon walked from the workshop and to the room UpGrade and Jon shared. When they walked in, UpGrade was putting up a cot on the other wall, thankful the room was rather large. Admin slid into the bed and curled up under the blankets, pulling the covers over his head. The gold and pink bots looked to each other and frowned.  
  
"At least he has someone to watch him," UpGrade said with a smile. "On the upside."  
  
Jon nodded and got into the bed, shutting down next to Admin once UpGrade got onto the cot and shut off. Admin stared at his hands, purple swirls lifting from the green-lit silver.  
  



	118. Straightening out an automaton, Vivian is in the house - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: some rather coarse talk meant to bring someone to his senses.

"Alright, Pine. As I told Ardo, a woman named Vivian is visiting Walter Manor and if all goes well, she's going get herself married, laid, and die. Right, so, let her do that. Do nothing to interfere with her in any way. She can take care of it."  
  
Pine sighed with visible relief. For a moment he'd thought Grimm wanted him to help. "I'd be delighted to leave her strictly alone."  
  
"Good. Now, next order of business... Doing the same for yourself."  
  
"I'm already..."  
  
"Married and dead. Yes, I'm not an idiot. I meant the other one."  
  
"Since when do you care about my sex life?" Pine asked coldly.  
  
"It serves a purpose, as you well know. A means to an end. You've been dealing with the dead for hours now and you're wound up so tight you look like a corkscrew, and that's funny to me because that could actually happen in your case."  
  
Pine was beginning to wonder just how much he cared whether Grimm harvested every soul in Walter Manor..  
  
"Don't kid yourself, metal man. You care," Grimm said. "Yes, I do know what you're thinking. I maybe be a demigod but that still makes me a god."  
  
"Fine. Only who says she's interested? Last time I got near her, she shoved me away."  
  
"Yes, funny thing thing about that... Well, I'm not your father. You want to be a jerk to your wife, you take your lumps."  
  
"Now just a minute..."  
  
"Silence! Listen closely because I do not give pep talks. I state facts. Fact: you are now a Reaper. Fact: that is a change roughly equivalent to waking up and finding you're now a horse."  
  
Pine thought longingly about being a horse instead. A horse... that would have been sweet...  
  
"There, see, I knew you were still in there. The old space cowboy all your fans adore. The chump who likes hugs and has that... ugh, that stupid giddy grin and wouldn't hurt a fly. Well, as it happens, contrary to popular opinion, a Reaper is not meant to be a cold, unfeeling monster. He is not supposed to reap without concern for the fears and suffering of the living. We do a service for mankind. It is mankind that is cruel. You know it as well as I."  
  
Pine nodded solemnly.  
  
"You feel. You just don't want to. I can't say that I blame you, really. It's overrated. But you do feel. Your lovely wife, though you don't really want to hear about her right now, feels. After all her years abandoned. After all her years reaping the souls of the living. After you got hot and tried to force her to..."  
  
"I didn't force her! I just... she..."  
  
"Odd really, considering how much she likes it rough..."  
  
"Right! She does!"  
  
"I mean, she's come in to see me with some very interesting marks... You'd think she'd been had against her will but she always said it was consensual. Of course, sometimes women cover these things.."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"I repaired the damage but I really had to wonder what kind of a filthy trollop likes that sort of thing..."  
  
"I'm warning you..."  
  
"Did she pretend she wanted you to stop? Oh, they're all like that deep down..."  
  
"No! She doesn't! She..."  
  
"I'd even considered having a go myself. I mean, if she's that kind of girl..."  
  
Pine had his scythe at Grimm's throat. He could barely remember lunging at him in the first place. But now he stood, blackened from head to toe in his rage, his clothes quietly crackling and burning away, panting unnecessarily, glaring down at Grimm's placid face. Of course. He couldn't kill Grimm. He couldn't even touch him. The Presence of Death filled the room, surrounding him, overwhelming him. He was nothing next to it...  
  
And still he glared at him, snarling in a voice straight from He!! itself, "Shut up! No one talks about Hatchet that way! No one! Now you can destroy me if you want... I don't care if you do... just... leave her alone. Leave her alone..."  
  
"And there we have it. You got too rough, you didn't accept no as an answer, and you're afraid one of these times you really won't stop, that you'll hurt her. You're afraid that even she is not enough to control what you've become. You're an idiot. She is the only one who can control it. She may not love you anymore if that's the direction you take, but she can handle you. Why do you think I brought you here? By my own contract I didn't dare leave you in the manor while you were at odds with your bride. You blame her for making you what you are, but you chose it, in case you forgot."  
  
Pine leaned away, his rage still simmering.  
  
"Colonel Peter A Walter built three musicians, later to become four. He retrofitted them to be warriors and never really changed them back. And one day the US government turned one of them into their secret weapon and sent him to Vietnam. And what with one thing and another, this battle-hardened war machine somehow managed to fall in love with the one female capable of the challenge of being his bride. And in his old school way, he proposed marriage to her. And lucky him, she said yes.  
  
"But there was fine print to the union... you would have to become a Reaper of Souls like her. Do you remember your response to that?"  
  
Pine's rage had dulled to an ache. He looked down at his scythe, wishing Grimm would stop.  
  
"You were willing to do it to be with her. You said that it would be a nice change to just reap and deliver the souls, rather than be the one doing the killing."  
  
"I... didn't understand..."  
  
"You did, though. As much as you were able at the time. So now you really know. It is painful, yes. It is hard to control. Chet has passed through it. She knows what you suffer. She alone knows. Think of that. Even now, she is suffering herself, knowing she drove you away after bringing you to this point. Knowing it's her fault."  
  
"It's not..."  
  
"No. It's not."  
  
Pine looked up. Grimm was staring him in the eye. "This is no way to run an organization. I need Reapers who reap, not Reapers who get into domestic spats and pout. So she shoved you away and went and had a mood. You did something stupid and lucky for you she was strong enough to stop you from doing something disastrous. It's not necessary to make such a fuss about it. Man up. You're old enough to know better. There are rules to these things, even here."  
  
Pine sighed. He'd almost forgotten that was how it started. She'd looked so pretty as a human... but why had she pushed him away? She usually loved it when he... But there it was. She'd said stop. He hadn't stopped.  
  
But why had she wanted him to stop? The was the first time she'd ever stopped him, as far as he could remember... Was she worried he'd spoil the human makeup? She never much liked his reputation for liking human women. She knew, of course. He'd had his flings, before her return. She hadn't been amused but she hadn't made a fuss about it. He'd told her it was all talk, and mostly it was. And there she was, looking human, and he couldn't keep his hands off her.  
  
He laughed mirthlessly. "Was it really that simple? She was jealous?"  
  
"I thought it wasn't her fault."  
  
"It's not... I... I'm an idiot. You're right. She says no, I stop. I... didn't think she was serious."  
  
"A risk you can't afford to take."  
  
"No. But... How can I go back to her now? I'm a monster... what if I hurt someone, sir?"  
  
"Have you?"  
  
"N-no... well... no one human," he forced himself to say.  
  
"Believe it or not, your old protocols are still in place. You've scared a lot of people, yes. You hurt your wife who is more than a match for you... don't doubt me, she is. It would hurt, but she could destroy you if I command it."  
  
"How comforting."  
  
"I find it so. And I will, if this becomes an issue again, and I perceive you as a liability. She is still more valuable to me. She has better control. As you will have, in time. Ugh. I feel like Ward Cleaver. Get out, you've learned your lesson."  
  
"But..."  
  
"She's waiting for you... Just remember this. She has been to He!! and back and still loves with the fire of a thousand suns. You were not forced into this. If you bear her any love at all, return to her and grovel. Just this once, mind you. It's a mistake to make it a habit. Go and show her love, not just lust. The job is not an excuse. Now get out of my sight."  
  
The Spine stood in his room, his clothes restored, his scythe in his hand, staring down at the vacated hammock.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter followed his mother to Chelsea's old room in the Walter Girl wing. He put Vivian into the bed, relieved. He hadn't carried anyone outside of an ultralight robot since Janelle died and hadn't realized how heavy an unconscious woman could be. His back made some sort of pinging sensation and he groaned.  
  
"Go get a heat pad," his mother said absently. "I'll take care of her."  
  
"But..." He hesitated. What was it about her? He looked into her face. Was that what the woman in his dream had looked like? But it had to be a coincidence.  
  
"Mom..." he murmured. "Do you ever get the feeling you've met someone before? A total stranger?"  
  
"Oh? Does she look familiar?" his mother asked coldly.  
  
There it was again. "Mom, I'm looking for a little maternal understanding here, and I get the feeling I'm grounded for some reason. What is it you seem to think I've done?"  
  
"You tell me. No, wait. Don't."  
  
"Right. Well, have fun being a mommy to someone else, then."  
  
He could have sworn, as he walked out, that she muttered, "Yes, and just wait until you're a daddy..."  
  
He sighed. He could wait.  
  
On the other hand... He went back to the workshop and stared at Janelle. His dad was right. Even with all the work he should really let her dry overnight. He settled into an executive chair and dozed... waking every hour or so to check on her.  
  
He didn't remember any dreams.  
  
\----------  
  
"Where is he, Little Spirit?"  
  
"He done come by here an' had a cry on account of you goin' lookin' for him..."  
  
"But I made it! I got there! I think I fainted... de magic done run out."  
  
"Then you daid."  
  
"I ain't dead. De whole house is soaked wid it. And if he caught me when I fell..." That took her breath away. She wasn't the fainting type, usually. What if he had caught her? He would have held her in his arms... She wished she'd been conscious for that.  
  
"What?" prompted Little Spirit.  
  
"Oh, well, he got dat blue magic face. I 'spect I'd have soaked up some. Anyhow, he come here when he dreams. I can wait."  
  
"What if he don't dream, gurl?"  
  
"Den I wait longer," she said primly, settling into her chair.  
  
"At least take de spaill off me woman!"  
  
"Oh, alright. I release you from your bond," she said crisply. There was an intangible snap in the air and Little Spirit flew right through the wall.  
  
Vivian picked up her knitting. When Little Spirit returned, a few hours later, he found it laying in the chair directly below where her hands had been.  
  
\----------  
  
Vivian woke in the dark. She took a moment to remember where she was. She had on a rather oversized nightgown...  
  
She stood and tiptoed to the door. A dim light lit the hallway. She discovered the nightgown was pink and fluffy, and bared her shoulders as well as the upper part of her breasts. She turned and dragged a blanket from the bed, embarrassed, wrapping it around her.  
  
"Is someone up?" asked a low, musical voice. A tall, dark haired woman looked out of a room some distance down the hall. She smiled and hurried out, brazenly wearing a very similar nightgown. It fit her perfectly, however.  
  
"Oh! You're awake. Hi, I'm Bunny. Annie tells me your name is Vivian... Well, it's kind of early for breakfast. Are you still tired?"  
  
"I'm wide awake... but... Is there anything else I could wear?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, yeah, it's a little big... Um... You're tallish... I'll bet you'll fit one of Paige's uniforms."  
  
"Uniform?"  
  
"Aren't you starting work today? Annie said you were staying..."  
  
She was still trying to figure out what Annie had been thinking. Still, if it kept her in the manor... Vivian smiled. "Yes. I am."  
  



	119. Chelsea and Sam being domestic, Leo leaves for his trial - NinjaPastry

poke poke... poke "Sam? Sam, wake up..." Chels had her hand resting on Sam's chest, the other poking his cheek. "Sam?" He groggily awoke, sitting up with her. His hand reached for his glasses and she put them in his hand, waiting for him to put them on to continue. "Sam, I'm not feeling well..."  
  
"Do you feel like you've gotta puke?" he asked. She shook her head.  
  
"I already did that. Twice."  
  
"What hurts? Or, like, what's making you feel sick?"  
  
"My head is pounding, and my stomach hurts."  
  
"Chels, you just threw up twice, of course your head's gonna hurt and your stomach's empty. You just need to eat." She sighed and nodded, sliding from the bed to her feet. Sam smiled, following her. He went to walk past and ran his hand across the small of her back, then walking to his dresser. Chels grinned and grabbed a uniform from the closet and cautiously put it on.  
  
She looked at him while to struggled to button his shirt, a little too tired for motor skills. She smiled, just a bit, but then wet back to pulling up her socks and slipping on her flats. When both were dressed, they mindlessly looked to the bassinet. They looked to each other and Sam sighed, finishing off with a smile.  
  
"Let's go eat," he said sweetly to her, holding out his hand. She gracefully took it and followed him to the stairs. Once they got to the kitchen, Ro was sitting on the counter near the dishwasher, reading a book. She looked up and smiled at the couple, her face a bit pale and blue streaks showing up in her hair.  
  
"Good morning!" she giggled. Sam and Chels smiled at her and Chels instantly kept walking to the fridge. Sam, not hungry at all, sighed and leaned against the counter where Ro was sitting. "Sleep well?"  
  
"She kept kicking me, so not really," Sam laughed. Ro laughed a little, then Chels returned with a carton of eggs, apple juice, and peppers. Sam turned around and grabbed a pan for her and she gladly took it, walking to the stove top. As she cooked, Sam watched.  
  
No bump yet. Maybe the test was wrong? That could be it. She could be pulling a Mrs. Shuester and faking the pregnancy to test his love or something. Yet, that night to next morning was all a blur, and something could totally have happened, let alone Lil Steve's telling of what he saw.  
  
Chels was beautiful, she still is, and glows with a white aurora. She cracked a couple eggs and began to chop up a pepper, sprinkling it into the eggs in the pan, then stirring them around. Sam looked to Ro but she was busy reading Black Butler.  
  
He swung himself off of the counter and walked over to Chelsea, placing his hands on her hips as she worked, scaring her a bit while he stood behind her. He rested his chin upon her shoulder and she smiled, humming something... it sounded familiar, but eh couldn't quite put a finger on it. It sounded like...  
  
"One more time," Ro sang along, "We're gonna celebrate ah-yeah alright don't stop the dancin'..." Daft Punk? Hearing that made him feel... good. Like, wow that's nice. He felt like... just- wait...  
  
That's why.. that was playing from the iPhone music list on Sam's phone. That night when he pinned her down and bit at her neck...  
  
He hummed along and she smiled, flipping the eggs over. "Wanna play hookie today?" he asked in her hear, just at the right whisper to send shivers down her back and make her grin. She nodded and let Sam tickle her neck with his mustache, biting her lip slightly. She put the eggs onto plates and poured cups of juice, then handed one to Sam and one for herself.  
  
"Wanna eat in our room?" she asked. Sam nodded and gave her a wink, making her laugh. They waved to Tom and Guy once they walked in, Tom shoving tickets of some sort into his pocket. They heard Guy ask where Michael was, but were in the elevator by the time they walked out of the kitchen towards the workshop.  
  
=  
  
Carolina opened her eyes. There was no second weight in the bed. There was no added heat against her nude body. There was no Third. Pressing the blankets to her chest, she sat up and looked around the room. His clothes were gone, her clothes were folded on the dresser. The white walls were lit to a bright color by the sun. The two American flags in triangular cases hung upon the wall on the other wall above the oak desk covered with files and trays with different coloured post it notes.  
  
Where did he go?  
  
"Miss Carolina, is it?" Annie asked. She yelped and tried to cover herself more with the blankets. Annie laughed and walked in, sitting on the end of the bed.  
  
"please leave," she whispered. "i'm not decent."  
  
"No worries, darling," Annie gushed, pushing her red hair away from her face. "It's not like I don't know what everything looks like." Annie, such a flat chested woman, smiled heartily. But she was so flat-chested, and Carolina was so busty... Did she really know?  
  
"So, where did my little Leonardo go?" Annie asked, looking about the empty-ish room.  
  
"I- I uh.. I don't know, actually," the worker replied. "He kinda left... Which is fine, he's usually a busy guy, but.."  
  
"He didn't say goodbye?"  
  
"Yeah. But it's nothing. Work is work, and he didn't want to wake me, I'm sure." Annie nodded and Carolina stared at her. "Now can you leave? I need to get dressed." Annie laughed and walked out, Carolina waiting a minute to grab her clothes and change into a dress Leo had brought her some time during the night, right before he took his scythe over to Spine's room and busted through that brick wall to 'work'.  
  
A hoodie, combat boots, black jeans, his eyes lit like lights. A purple light and a green light, the white of his eyes black and his skin bleeding lava from the scars. Trial day.  
  



	120. The Spine grovels, Vivian makes tea - Whistler

The Spine dismissed his scythe and glanced around the room. Of course; Cobble had said that Hatchet was in her old closet. He felt a stab of pain where his Blue Matter had once gleamed. Hatchet...  
  
He hurried out into the darkened house.  
  
When he got to the closet, he could hear the humming. His song. The one he wrote after he found out she'd been stolen, during the time he'd stayed locked away himself... wondering what he was even good for... without her.  
  
He hesitated for a moment, feeling stupid all over again. It was all so difficult now. She might even be better off without him. Maybe they all were. He could do it... ask Peter to shut him down. Grimm had even considered it, but this way she wouldn't be the one to destroy him...  
  
He heard a muffled sob. He filled his bellows and let it out slowly. Never again, he decided. The job was not an excuse. She had endured it without him. He had her... and that was how it would be. Together or not at all. She obviously still wanted her jerk of a husband for some reason. He couldn't hurt her again. He just couldn't.  
  
He walked into the dark hallway, passing the room where Hatchworth sat. "Spine!" cried the bronze robot, rising quickly. The humming stopped.  
  
The Spine opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. Hatchworth smiled. "AJ went to stay with his Unkie The Jon and Auntie Upgrade. He sat here for the longest time... just waiting and whispering to her. Do you know, The Spine, even though he has the face of The Jon, well... he looked just like his Pappy as he sat here. Same pose, same whisper. The same worried expression... Just like you."  
  
The Spine looked down at his hands. "Thank you, Hatchworth. For staying with them. I... need to speak to her alone..."  
  
Hatchworth nodded, and with a brief, apprehensive glance at the closet, hurried away. He rounded the corner and the sound of steps continued... clearly with the intention of sounding as though they were moving away. The Spine almost smiled. Let him hear, if it made him feel better.  
  
He knelt by the door. Grimm had told him to grovel... just this once. He didn't need telling. The thought of her back in that horrible closet... it was all he could do to keep from falling down and begging her to open the door.  
  
"Hatchet... I'm so sorry..."  
  
Silence.  
  
"I should have listened to you... I should have stopped. I understand now. I... I won't do it again."  
  
He waited. "Are you still in there? Please come out... I can't do this without you. It's been hard but... I chose this. It's all worth it to be with you. I wouldn't change it if I could." His voice trembled. "Please... I can't stand you being in there again! Please come out..."  
  
He sank back against the wall opposite, sobbing quietly. "Please come out..." he whispered, dragging his hand across his eyes.  
  
There was a creak. He looked up as the door swung open. She was a mess... her clothes rent, covered in red dust and cobwebs, her face streaked with oil. His first impulse was to pull her to him, to hold her until she could have no doubt about his feelings. But he was afraid. Would she pull away, thinking he was a brute, a monster?  
  
She crept from the closet and into his arms. Just like that. He held her carefully, but tightly, and she didn't pull away. He heard Hatchworth tiptoe away down the hall and sighed, letting the oily tears run down his cheeks.  
  
"I love you," he whispered. "I'm sorry..."  
  
"Hush..."  
  
"But..."  
  
"You've said enough. Don't mention it again, okay?"  
  
There was no promise he was happier to make. "Okay."  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
A few minutes later, she murmured, "I should get cleaned up. Oh, I've acted like a child..."  
  
"Let's not mention that either, okay?"  
  
"Okay..." she sighed, snuggling into his shoulder. "I think I'll need some help getting clean."  
  
"Some help..."  
  
"Someone to scrub my back... and any other hard to reach areas."  
  
"You want..."  
  
"Yes, love."  
  
"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"  
  
"An oil bath?"  
  
"Together, though..."  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"You actually want me to be there with you, in the bath..."  
  
"Did I stutter?"  
  
"Hatchet... look, I'm pretty shaken up. I'm second-guessing every impulse I have right now. I don't want to mess up again."  
  
She sat up and pulled him close, kissing him deeply. "Don't be afraid," she whispered a moment later. She kissed him again, and murmured, "I'm saying yes now. Yes. Please. Don't make me beg."  
  
"I'd be begging long before you."  
  
He helped her to her feet and swept her up in his arms. "How about this... until you tell me otherwise, I'm going with my first impulse."  
  
He didn't add that his first impulse was most definitely connected with her and a bath full of oil...  
  
"Alright, my love. And yes. I do want you in the bath. To begin with... Ugh, I must smell like a junkyard..."  
  
He didn't care if she did, but if she wanted to get clean first, well... He sighed with longing and kissed her again. She made a low murmuring sound against his lips.  
  
"Hm?" he asked without pulling away.  
  
"Scrub quickly," she whispered, lips brushing his.  
  
She waved her hand and they both disappeared in a puff of ashes.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchworth stumped into the kitchen, smiling happily. "Good morning to all," he said pleasantly.  
  
Bunny sat at the table with a new Walter Girl. Hatchworth bowed formally.  
  
"How do you do!" he said. "I am Hatchworth, but you may call me Hatchy."  
  
"How do you do?" the new girl responded. "I am Vivian. I'm tickled to meet you, Hatchy."  
  
Hatchworth giggled and Bunny jumped. "Dang it, Hatchy..." she muttered. "I love that giggle, it sounds like something from a horror movie. But I never expect it..."  
  
"She is very lovely, Mistress Bunny." To Vivian, he added, "I do not know you but I love you."  
  
"Someone's been into the Pixar collection," said Sam, strolling into the kitchen carrying a plate of eggs, which he was eating in an absent-minded sort of way.  
  
"Didn't she like them after all?" asked Ro, turning from the stove. "She made them..."  
  
"And apparently she now hates her eggs this way," Sam sighed. "She is in the bathroom as we speak. I don't get it. They're good."  
  
"Morning sickness," sighed Ro. "Food aversions. Very common at this stage of pregnancy. I'll fix her something else if she wants it..."  
  
"If I may..." Vivian said quickly. "I have some experience in herbal remedies. I could prepare her an elixir... um, a drink, which helps with the symptoms when a woman is in a family way. Your wife..."  
  
"We're... um... not married..."  
  
"Oh! I beg your pardon. She is your lady, though?"  
  
Sam's mustache twitched with amusement. He glanced at Bunny, who shrugged. Sam sat down beside Hatchworth, who was smiling blankly at Vivian.  
  
"Yeah," he said. "Don't let her hear you put it like that, but yeah. We're together. This drink... it isn't anything weird, is it? I don't want her to have anything that might put the baby at risk..."  
  
"Oh, no indeed. You may watch me prepare it, if you like... Do you have any ginger root?"  
  
Ro smiled. "Always."  
  
"Well, I'll need that and some clean water..."  
  
"We have plenty of clean water," Ro laughed.  
  
"Oh, is that all it is?" Sam said. "Yeah, that's okay. I'll go tell her you're making something. Be right back."  
  
He hastily scarfed the remaining eggs, made a yummy sound, and hurried out. Ro picked up the plate.  
  
"Guess he got hungry after all. Weird, I thought he was Vegan..."  
  
From the hallway came the sound of Sam groaning. "D@mn it! I forgot she used real eggs!"  
  
Bunny snickered. "I shouldn't laugh at that..."  
  
Vivian busied herself peeling the ginger with a paring knife while Ro watched, fascinated. "We have a peeler..." she told Vivian.  
  
"What's that?" Vivian asked, interested.  
  
"A peeler? A tool for peeling?"  
  
Vivian smiled. "Clever."  
  
Ro snickered and looked at Bunny, who shrugged again. "Doesn't look to me like she needs it," Bunny said.  
  
The water was boiling. Vivian put the root into it and prodded it with the knife. Annie and Five strolled into the kitchen a minute later, bickering in a friendly sort of way.  
  
"I'm telling you, Peter, she is!"  
  
"Oh, nonsense! You want it too much, honey..."  
  
"I asked her, specifically..."  
  
They stopped, looking around the kitchen. Annie smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Good morning," Five said. "What smells so good? Gingerbread?"  
  
"That's a little out of season," Annie added. "Maybe gingerbread pancakes..."  
  
"Oh, that sounds good..." Bunny murmured, sipping her coffee. "But no, it's Vivian, making..."  
  
"Oh, dear! You shouldn't be out of bed so early!" Annie cried, hurrying to her. "Why are you wearing a uniform? Why is she wearing a uniform, Bunny?" she demanded.  
  
"What? You said she was staying! You put her in Chelsea's room... I just assumed... and she said she was here for a job..."  
  
Annie looked at Vivian, one eyebrow raised. The next moment her expression softened. "Of course," she sighed. "Poor child..."  
  
"Ma'am?" Vivian said, puzzled.  
  
"Nothing dear... So..." She smiled, looking at the pot. "What are we making?"  
  
"It's a remedy, ma'am. For the stomach."  
  
"For the stomach."  
  
"Morning sickness."  
  
Annie looked sharply at Five. He shrugged.  
  
"For Chelsea," said Bunny.  
  
Annie shook her head. "For Chelsea. Yes, I guess that makes sense."  
  
Vivian asked for mugs and poured the drink into them. She added honey to one and took a careful sip. Annie was watching her like a hawk.  
  
"I thought it was for Chelsea..."  
  
"There's more," Vivian said, smiling. "I've always been partial to ginger tea."  
  
Annie looked again at her husband, who was making a point of it to be interested in something else.  
  
"Butt out, Annie..." he sang softly. Bunny snorted even though she had no idea what was going on.  
  
"Is... is your son awake?" asked Vivian.  
  
Annie turned back to her. "Oh, sweetheart... he's so worried about that robot daughter of his, I don't think he ever went to bed! Should we go check?"  
  
"Um, Annie, wait. I was going to give her the tour," Bunny said hastily.  
  
"Well, let's start with Peter's workshop. Come along, dear."  
  
She took Vivian by the arm and headed for the door. Bunny jumped up and hurried after, unwilling to let Annie upset her routine.  
  
"I'll give Sam the tea," Ro said quickly as they hurried out.  
  
"Send along some plain biscuits!" Vivian said quickly as she rounded the corner.  
  
"Biscuits?" Ro said, puzzled. Hatchworth shrugged.  
  



	121. Ardo's trial, Leo?, Old people should have better sense... - NinjaPastry

"Lardo... My third generation of the Kinglser family. The only one who isn't dead yet. Your mother, your grandmother, your family in general. And now, you." Leo stared at him. No really. Explain it again? Not to mention how stupid his name now sounded. He preferred Ardo any day.  
  
"I'm here for my trial, sir."  
  
"I assume your aggravation with me is growing... No resistance to your work is lesson number one." Grimm smiled and stood from his throne. He ever so slowly walked to Leo's side and put his hands on his shoulders. "Be ready boy. I have something in plan for you."  
  
Nothing really scared Leo as to what Grimm was saying to him. Grimm didn't scare him at all.  
  
"And yet you still cower at my hand," Grimm said. "I know what you think, boy, and you shouldn't test me."  
  
"I wasn't testing you."  
  
"A test for a test is actually fair. With your ignorance and stupidity, I bring you your test."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
The last thing Leo saw before the blinding childhood desert sands was Grimm's handsome, evil smile.  
  
Bambamabamabamabamm! A man screamed, shouts were heard. Leo there in the cross fire. Bullets went through him as if he were nothing. Sand? Blood? n...No..  
  
"Dad!" a child screamed. Leo snapped his neck to look and saw exactly what he didn't want to see. A green suited boy with a helmet too big for him dropped to the ground, skin pale and black hair. It couldn't be... "Man down!" the boy cried, screamed, looking tot he other men in line, hidden behind bags of sand and mud, crates their best defense.  
  
Then he walked forward, Leo the Reaper. The boy looked to the other men, letting the reaper see who the boy was. One brown, one green, slight clef chin, buzz cut... He ran forward to the boy and the man down and saw who it was.  
  
"Grimm!" the reaper screamed. "Don't make me do this!" There was no reply even as the sand twisted around his feet and started pulling him in. He picked himself out and hovered above the ground. With a wave of his hand, everything slowed to a stop.  
  
A deep breath...  
  
He set himself back down upon the ground, walking towards the barrier. Hand to the crates and mud and he jumped over. Just like hopping fences in 3rd grade with his friends before they moved... He stood a foot away from the laying body of a man who raised him in his lonesome.  
  
There were some nights that they never spoke to each other, others where training was the focus. III earned his degree from an online college with a trust fund given to him by the state of Missouri, a Masters in Psychology and a Doctorate. He was on the news for a while and his dad stood beside him for a couple interviews, but that was it.  
  
Then came the war.  
  
And now there he lay, bringing tears to Leo's eyes. He gripped his scythe tighter and sighed, lip quivering. He stepped over to the other side of him, kneeling down. A hand to his shoulder and a sniffle, he shook his shoulder.  
  
"Dad," he struggled, "we have to go. Mom... Mom's calling dinner..."  
  
The mist lifted and Leo gently took it in his arms, hugging it as if it were really his father hugging him back. He sighed and time warped around him and he was suddenly back in the underworld, facing his own father. II smiled at him and put a hand through the bars. Leo grabbed him and sucked up his tears, putting his head down.  
  
"Boy, I'm proud of you," II said kindly. "Now go back home. Someone misses you."  
  
"I.. I can't dad, knowing you're stuck down here." II noticed the tears and sighed. He stepped closer to the bars and Leo stepped back, letting go of his hand. "But, if that's what you want.."  
  
III and II took one last look to each other, their mix-matched eyes locked. He couldn't leave, yet, he did. II was left without his son and sighed, getting back to work.  
  
=  
  
"Leo?" Carolina asked. She walked through the kitchen doors, the others looking at her and waving. She waved right back and sat on the counter with Ro. "Anyone seen Leo?"  
  
"No," Bunny said. "Have you checked Ray's room?"  
  
"He's asleep I checked."  
  
"Maybe he's checking up on Ian," Hatchy offered. She shook her head.  
  
"Ian's curled up in a ball in the closet with a flask of holy water and a wooden cross in his hand." The others snickered. "He's going through something, alright?"  
  
"Yeah, but it's funny," Bunny laughed. "Sad they used to be best friends and all, but I mean, c'mon. Holy water? Wooden crosses?"  
  
"They aren't Dracula spawn. They're like, from Twilight or something," Ro added.  
  
"Yeah," Hatchworth said. "I saw Miss Pruitt working yesterday and she had sparkles on he skin whens he walked in the sunlight." Carolina rolled her eyes.  
  
"Okay, well, that tells me nothing as to where Leo is..."  
  
"Maybe the infirmary?" Ro asked. Carolina jumped off the counter and walked out. They weren't helping and she was tired and upset. Maybe she wasn't cool with all this reaper stuff...  
  
"Leo?" she called through the halls. After a while of walking about with no luck, she returned to her room in the family wing to see Spine harshly push Hatchet up against the wall beside their door.  
  
Carolina nearly lunged at Spine to pull him off, but noticed how needy Hatchet was acting for him. Spine kissed her for a second, then moved down her neck. She laughed with a breathy smile and once he picked her legs up and wrapped them around his waist, they disappeared into the room and shut the door.  
  
"Thank Peter for sound-proof doors in this wing..."  
  
"Leo!" Carolina cried out, turning around to see the muscular man behind her. He scared her. She laughed and flung her arms around his neck, letting him pick her up and hug her back.  
  
"I'm so sorry I left," he sighed. "I was busy.."  
  
"I was so worried," she said into his neck, smelling the candles and incense of the Underworld on him.  
  
"No worries, mon cheri," he chuckled. "It iz fine, now."  
  
She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him. His arms were still holding her up, making her smile. Those pretty eyes...  
  
=  
  
Peter stared at her. Pink ceramic, silver titanium alloy... Why would she do that? Michael was still asleep on the floor and Matt was... where was he...? Nevertheless, Peter went to rub an eye and met the heel of his hand to the wood of his mask, then carefully slipped the mask off and rubbed an eye. Coffee. That sounds nice.  
  
He played with the curls of Janelle's hair and Michael powered on, lifting his head to the man.  
  
"Peter."  
  
"Michael."  
  
"Is she dried out, yet?" Michael asked, craning his neck to look. He knelt to see, slipping his hand into hers. He put the metal to his lips and rubbed her hand with his thumb, pouting. Peter sighed, putting his mask back on.  
  
"I think so," Peter said, looking to the freakishly tall young lady wearing a bandage around her chest and a pair of panties Michael found for her. His heart pounded in his ears, seeing how... dead she looked. "I'm just.. I don't want her to scream again. It hurts her and it hurts me."  
  
"Dude, just chillax. You being a father is going to be the best thing that can happen to you, and you have to stick it out."  
  
"Ahem," Annie cleared her throat. Michael and Peter both looked and she had raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Mornin' mom," Peter said, waving at her slightly. Five wasn't too far behind her and smiled at his son.  
  
"What is this about a child?"  
  
"My child. My daughter- Well, soon to be."  
  
Annie drew a heavy breath and turned around to look at The Fifth. She let it out slowly and glared up at him. "I knew it. I Told you he got the girl pregnant and I nkow you won't believe me.."  
  
"Ms. Lilly is coming by today to hand over the adoption papers to me. Mom? Dad? Would you guys be awesome and wear something nice? Michael? You, too?" Michael nodded and Peter looked to the parents. They looked back to him and Five led Annie forward.  
  
"I'd be delighted to, son," Five laughed. "My boy, all grown up with a family now."  
  
"Adoption papers- What are you going on about, boy?"  
  
Peter stared at her. Five even glanced at her. Michael was just in awe of her question. "Mom, Janelle and Matt are going to be under my parental guidance. I'm going to be their dad, and you are going to be the grandmother."  
  
"I'm not going to be a grandmother to a robot, Peter!" she yelled at him. Michael stood for this, standing beside his best friend. Five sighed and put a hand upon Annie's shoulder. "I'm going to be a grandmother to that baby you put in that Vivian girl!"  
  
"I've never had sex, mom! I'm still a virgin!"  
  
"That's kinda sad," Michael mumbled. Peter nodded and said his yeahs and buts, then Annie huffed.  
  
"This," she said, pointing to the body upon the table, "Is not a child. This is a contraption of which you created. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but your sick mind believe you can be God and I'm telling you that you cannot! Raising children for the dead is not a good thing!"  
  
"Wh- who are you to decide what I do with my life?"  
  
"When I gave birth to you 27 years ago!"  
  
"I'm now heir to the trust fund and you'd think you'd have a little decency to put some of your own trust in you only child!"  
  
"My child who's gone insane!"  
  
"I'm not the insane one, MOM. You are! You can't rule ether or not I have children for you to motherly-love over! Where is the love that I'm supposed to be getting? Hm? Gone away on your trip and left behind by your ignorance?"  
  
Annie's eyes welled up. She scoffed, looked to Michael, the body, then walked right out. Rabbit, Hatchworth, AJ, Jon, and UpGrade all stood there, all crying. That was their sister she was talking about.  
  
Rabbit, Jon, and Hatchy all looked to each other. Iris was reincarnated, it seemed, in ways...  
  
"Admin," UpGrade huffed, "Let's go get some clothes from your room. We're taking you to Kazooland for a while so your parents can make up.."  
  
AJ wiped his face and Jon led him tot eh lift, shaking himself.  
  



	122. Finding out a few things (old people flirting), Vivian!!! - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright, time to straighten Annie out a little. Warning: old people being cute

Annie stomped down the hallway. Five jogged after her.  
  
"For the love of Pete... er... I mean... slow down, woman!"  
  
"I ask you!" she ranted. "That sweet girl carrying his child, being toured around by Mistress Bunny as an employee! What happens when her dress doesn't fit anymore? Will he admit it then?"  
  
"Annie, what if you're wrong?"  
  
"But... look, even if she isn't, something is going on. When I asked her if Peter was involved, she looked like she was going to cry. And she did! She stood there, staring at him and weeping and fainted in his arms!"  
  
"She wasn't feeling well."  
  
"Obviously," she said witheringly. "But when he picked her up... Did you see the way he held her?"  
  
"How many options did he have? He held her above the ground..."  
  
"Oh, Peter! The boy was holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world to him! Like... like he was terrified she'd shatter in his arms..."  
  
"And no wonder. It's not like he's Rhett Butler and makes a habit of carrying beautiful women up to bed," he laughed.  
  
She put her hand over her face and sighed.  
  
"I know, I'm not even trying. Well, look, if you want to know for sure about the one thing, anyway, just ask the girl, point blank, if she's going to have a baby!"  
  
"Who's going to have a what? Are you talking about Chelsea?"  
  
They stopped short. Bunny and Vivian were just working their way through the labs.  
  
"Young lady," Five said, and Vivian looked amused. He blinked at her. What was so funny? "Are you expecting a child?"  
  
"Peter!" snapped Annie.  
  
Vivian's smile dropped. She gaped at him. "Am I what now?"  
  
Bunny was looking back and forth between them, her face passing through a series of emotions, clearly not sure whether this was some sort of joke.  
  
"Are you going to have a baby? The question has been raised and it's important to be sure in case... in case you need to handle any dangerous substances."  
  
"That's right!" Annie said quickly. "Standard question."  
  
"Yes, only as it happens I have done my job and already asked..." Bunny began.  
  
"No, sir!" Vivian said quickly. "I ain't never... I've never been with a... No, sir, I am not."  
  
Five looked at Annie.  
  
"But... you said you were in trouble and that Peter was involved!" Annie spluttered.  
  
"Well, yes. I needed very much to come here. I require Blue Matter to survive."  
  
"Are you quite serious?"  
  
"Extraordinary..." murmured Five, peering at her. Vivian leaned away a little. "Where do you come from, Vivian?"  
  
"I believe you call the place Kazooland..."  
  
Five clapped his hand to his head. "I should have known! Look at you, of course you are. But how is it you require Blue Matter..."  
  
Vivian smiled. "It's... difficult to explain."  
  
"I have time..."  
  
"Sir, can it wait? I have other duties and we haven't finished the walk through," Bunny said.  
  
"Oh, of course... See you later."  
  
"And watch your step..." Annie said irritably. "Peter is in a snit."  
  
"A snit?" laughed Bunny. "I wouldn't miss it!" She hurried Vivian away.  
  
The hallway was very silent. Annie was studying an old painting with deep interest.  
  
"Annie girl..."  
  
"Don't say it. Don't say anything." She sounded like she was going to cry.  
  
He took her gently in his arms. She still wouldn't look at him.  
  
"Oh, come now... I'm not going to say it. I know it was just a mistake."  
  
"Oh, honey... I said such terrible things about Janelle..."  
  
"Let the boy cool off, and then go and apologize."  
  
"He admitted he was a virgin in front of the whole staff!"  
  
"You preferred the idea of him getting a teenager knocked up?"  
  
"No, I... oh, what's wrong with me? I was hoping he had!"  
  
He chuckled and kissed her head. "Maybe it's just menopause?"  
  
She glared and started to shove him away. "I am _not_ going through menopause!"  
  
"Prove it," he murmured, gently pulling her close again and kissing her tenderly on the lips.  
  
"You old fart... you were just building up to that..." she sighed when they parted.  
  
"Since when I have _not_ been building up to that? Y'know, my dear, I know wings of the house that Peter never managed to clear of doors. What say we find one of those lockable rooms with a soft bed and..."  
  
"Peter!" she said quickly, looking around them hastily. "You're acting just like the kids around here..."  
  
"Well, sure. Why should they have all the fun?"  
  
"You really want to be with a woman who runs around trying to convince people her son got some kid pregnant..." she muttered.  
  
"You bet. You've obviously got a dirty mind and too much time on your hands..."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Well, really... You're getting reckless in your old age..."  
  
"Getting reckless? Well, I could get one of those prophylactics from the vault! Y'know, if you're worried I'll recklessly get you knocked up..."  
  
"Oh, you!" she giggled, relaxing at last. "I think I'll take my chances."  
  
He winked, took her hand, and led her into a side hallway and on into the depths of Walter Manor.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter stared down at Janelle, tapping his fingers irritably on the table. He shouldn't have yelled at her like that...  
  
 _I can almost remember it... almost..._  
  
"Pete?" Rabbit said anxiously. "Ain't ya gonna fix her?"  
  
"Yeah," he said abruptly, looking up. He shook his head sharply. "Yeah. Right. Absolutely. There's... there's some leads that got soaked and need replacing..."  
  
He got to work as the robots moved away to wait. Bunny came in several minutes later and said, "Ah, she still needs some work?"  
  
"Yeah, a few wires got shorted out. Not sure how many. You up for it?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, this is perfect. You can train on the job, " she said.  
  
"Who can what?" Peter asked absently as Bunny handed him a small pair of pliers without being asked.  
  
"The new girl, Peter. She hasn't worked with robots before so..."  
  
"New girl?" he asked absently, popping a wire loose from its housing.  
  
Bunny chuckled. "You should know this right now. Peter VI gets into a kind of working trance and is very hard to wake from it." She handed him a screwdriver, again without being asked. "Stay in Peterland and let me do my job, okay?"  
  
"Okay..." he murmured, twisting a bolt tight against the new wire wrapped around it. So Bunny was here and someone was with her? What had she said again... something new...  
  
"This is Peter's daughter Janelle... well, he's adopting her. She used to be human and he built her a new body when she was killed."  
  
"Poor child..." said another voice... _familiar... who was that, anyway? Figure it out later..._  
  
The voice went on, "She's lovely..."  
  
"Yeah," Peter said to someone, scouring Janelle's wiring for further damage.  
  
 _That one's shorted out too..._ He accepted the pliers mutely. _A little rust here... that was quick..._  
  
As the minutes... or was it hours? passed, he could hear whispers and felt hands pressing tools into his. Bunny's larger, graceful fingers... a smaller hand with... calluses, yes. Was it Sam? He sometimes played guitar... So did Carolina... that would give them calluses.  
  
He kept going. His stomach twinged a little but he ignored it. He could go on for a while yet. Someone would bring lunch before he started to feel faint... Faint... he wondered about the girl... was she alright?  
  
 _The girl!_  
  
He looked up sharply with a gasp and found himself looking directly into her startled face.  
  
The pliers fell to the table with a clatter. Bunny cried out sharply.  
  
"Dang it, Peter! What the crap?"  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked Vivian, taking her gently by the shoulders. "You're... you... are you feeling okay?"  
  
"Fine, thank you kindly. I'm so sorry to have caused you any worry," she said breathlessly, smiling weakly.  
  
Ye gods, she was beautiful... His heart was pounding. She must have startled him more than he realized... Peter shook his head.  
  
"Sorry... I didn't mean to startle you. Have you been here the whole time?"  
  
"For a few hours, yes. Learning."  
  
"Oh!" He glanced down at her uniform. "Wait... why are you wearing a uniform?"  
  
Bunny huffed, "She said wanted a job, Peter. For crying out loud, why does everyone keep asking? She was here, Annie said she was staying, she said she wanted a godda... oh, right, sorry, Vivian doesn't like me to blaspheme..."  
  
 _Blaspheme?_  
  
"Thank you," Vivian murmured.  
  
Bunny shrugged, seeming more bemused than bothered. "Look, she said she wanted a job, okay? I had a good feeling about her and I got her suited up. And I was right. She's a quick study and works hard."  
  
"But you fainted last night! Are you sure you're okay?" he asked Vivian worriedly.  
  
"I'm much better now..." she responded, looking at him intently, as if trying to see through his mask. He would have blushed if he could. What was it about this woman?  
  
"Not dizzy at all? Because I could..."  
  
"Carry her to bed again?" Rabbit asked, her face twitching with amusement.  
  
Peter closed his eyes and sighed. They couldn't see it, but he did it. Walter Manor, where the walls had ears... and eyes. Sometimes literally. "I had to... Mom couldn't and Dad has a bad back..."  
  
"Since when?"  
  
"He's old and tall, his back is probably bad sometimes..."  
  
"It's quite alright. It was very gallant of you," Vivian said quickly. "I understand you left and allowed your mother to tend to me. I have no doubt that you were in all ways a gentleman."  
  
For the first time in his life, Peter felt a stab of doubt about that... he had been a gentleman, but usually he didn't feel much drive to be anything else. He didn't know whether Rabbit was right and he was asexual; he felt attraction to women, and once in a while he had felt like being with one intimately, so he supposed that put him just outside the clinical parameters. But though he'd wanted to sleep with the occasional girlfriend, it was cool if she said no... hence his current state of inexperience. He'd had so many female friends in college that the other guys had assumed he was gay... why else were women so relaxed around him, they'd said. If he'd had even the slightest attraction to men, he'd have figured they were right. But no... he was interested in girls, but he just lacked the driving need to get into their pants. And that, he found out, made a lot of girls want to hang out with him. That was cool too...  
  
But Vivian was doing something to his usual peace that he couldn't identify... because it was entirely new. He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that, even though he had no memory of thinking any such thing at the time, he'd wanted more than just to gently put her to bed and leave, and it was seriously creeping him out. He'd always figured he'd feel that way about a woman when he finally fell in love*, but he'd only just met her!  
  
At the same time, she'd called him a gentleman, and he liked how that made him feel. He looked at her and smiled, wishing she could see it. She smiled as if in response and his insides turned to jelly.  
  
The others in the room, all but forgotten, looked at each other in surprise and amusement.  
  
"Well, no one asked, but I'm getting dizzy... from hunger," Bunny interrupted. "I'll get us something..."  
  
Hatchworth waved at her and began producing sandwiches from his hatch.  
  
"Oh! Perfect!" Bunny said. "By the way, not meant as a criticism, but could you all give us some space?"  
  
The robots had been moving progressively closer as they worked, until they were all clustered around Vivian and Peter. Bunny raised an eyebrow at them on the other side of the work table and they shuffled backward as one, except for GG, who had come along somewhere in the middle of the work. She scooted closer and butted her head under Vivian's arm.  
  
"Will you be my mama?" she cooed, winsomely batting her eyelashes.  
  
"Oh, cher!" breathed Vivian, putting her hand on the little giraffe's head. "I'm no giraffe, honey..."  
  
"I love you just as you are, mama!"  
  
Vivian giggled. Peter sighed softly... for once, not in frustration.  
  
"Hey!" snapped Rabbit. "I'm the eyelash-batting sweetheart around here, kid!"  
  
GG peered at her from under Vivian's arm and made a raspberry sound.  
  
"None of that, now, cher," purred Vivian, looking up at Peter with a laugh.  
  
 _Mon cher..._ Where had that thought come from? That was something a lover would say...  
  
"Oh, knock it off!" Bunny snapped, startling him. "Go sit! All of you. Don't make me use your overrides."  
  
The robots, including GG, shuffled contritely away. Matt and Mike were already on the couch looking amused, so the others sat on the floor.  
  
"What was that all about?" Bunny hissed.  
  
"Hm?" Peter asked. He knew what she was talking about... but Vivian was looking up at him again with shining eyes and he just couldn't...  
  
"I think I might be coming down with something..." he said faintly.  
  
Vivian put her hand on his neck. He shivered when she touched him... he started to put his hand over hers and stopped just before their hands touched.  
  
"You are definitely coming down with something," Bunny said quietly. "Maybe nothing contagious... well, maybe a little contagious... and you're the last person I expected to catch it..."  
  
"He don't... he doesn't have a fevah," Vivian said, taking his hand. She started to feel around his wrist for a pulse.  
  
"Have you had medical training?" Peter asked. She was holding his hand!  
  
"I've tended the sick a great deal..."  
  
"Pink lady, maybe?" Bunny suggested. Vivian didn't answer. "Well, never mind. Look, everyone, let's clear out. Peter always eats alone, you know that."  
  
They all got up and shuffled out, very slowly. "Vivian!" called Bunny, carrying two sandwiches and leaving the third for Peter. "I think this would go faster if you lead, since they all like you so much."  
  
"Hm? Alright, Mistress Bunny," she said, letting go of his hand. "Um, Mr. Peter..."  
  
"Peter," he replied. "Just Peter."  
  
"Peter," she murmured. He grinned. "My hand..." she added.  
  
He realized he was still holding on and let go hastily.  
  
She smiled and something in an Olympic gymnastic maneuver happened in his chest. "Good morning, Peter," she said.  
  
"I'll see you later... right?"  
  
"That would be lovely," she said, smiling, and walked away. She was surrounded by Walter robots almost immediately. He looked after her and sighed, sinking onto his work stool. Bunny glanced back at him with a smirk and walked out shaking her head.  
  
Once he was alone, his stomach growled and he remembered his sandwich. Slipping out of his mask, he picked up the sandwich and started to eat without really tasting what was in it.  
  
He realized a few minutes later he didn't feel like he'd forgotten something anymore.  
  
\----------  
  
Vivian walked with the robots, wishing she could stay with Peter. She wasn't afraid to see his face, or the lack thereof. So close to him now... hours, standing beside him, unnoticed, but happy to be near him at last. It was pathetic, really, but it was how she felt. It had been all she could do just to keep from throwing herself into his arms. She got the feeling he liked her, or was he remembering something? There was no expression to read, but once he had noticed her, he'd given her his full attention. But he'd always done that... maybe that was just how he was.  
  
"Peter seems taken with you," Bunny commented, nibbling her sandwich.  
  
"Does he?" she said with more animation than she'd intended. She looked away quickly, embarrassed. And here she'd thought she was too old to be embarrassed anymore.  
  
Bunny laughed. "I see."  
  
Vivian doubted it.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Unless I am mistaken, this indicates that Peter VI is a demisexual, unlike his father who is at LEAST hetero... ;)


	123. Youtubers in need of babysitters, Ogling Vivian - NinjaPastry

It was like VidCon, Walter Manor edition. Ro of NerdyNummies, Ray of RayWilliamJohnson, and Ian and Anthony of Smosh. Ro was showing more blue streaks in her now black hair and she was busy pouring things into a blood bag. Anthony was tied to the chair he was sitting in and groaned loudly. Ian and Ray only glared at him.  
  
"Shut up," Ray barked, kicking the chair. Anthony yelped and kept his balance. The two stared at each other and Anthony hissed at him. Ro stood from Anthony's bed and held up the bag.  
  
"Okay. You're now going on a vegetarian diet. No worries, I stayed up all night watching the Twilight movies so I'm pretty sure this will work."  
  
"You didn't even ask Hope!" Anthony yelled. Ian held down his chair as he trashed about. Ro looked to Ray and nodded. The beat up man stood and walked over to Anthony, opening his jaw and letting Ro pour the "blood" into his mouth. Rather than drown in it, he drank it down and Ray and Ian let go of him.  
  
"You sound like you're falling in love with her, dude," Ian laughed. "But she's all old and sparkly. Why?"  
  
"I never said i was falling in love with her."  
  
"Better him than the little ones," Ray snickered. Ro shot him a look.  
  
"Where are they, anyways? Shoudn't they be like, setting fires to towns and eating flesh or whatever?"  
  
"What vampire lore have you been reading?" Ray asked Ian. He opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped himself. The three nodded as if to say "Good boy, Ian." Anthony wiped the corners of his mouth a coughed, glaring at Ro.  
  
"That was disgusting," he huffed. "I crave blood, not barbecue sauce."  
  
"We made a pact," Ian sighed. "No blood to any of the vampir and no one is allowed to either in this manor, nor around any parts of YouTube."  
  
"Not even the people who play Five-Finger-Filet," Ro added as she sat back down upon the bed with Ray. Ian kept standing at the door, his arms crossed and a stern look on his bruised and scabbed face. As if Ray's looked better. Ian actually bandaids on his fingers and one on his forehead while Ray decided against them.  
  
Anthony licked at the roof of his mouth and glared at his friends, including his best friend from childhood on. He looked plump... probably filled with the sweet stuff Anthony was craving... His stomach growled just thinking about it. Blood.  
  
A knock on the frame scared the YouTube team and Leo laughed. "No worries, it's just me," he managed to say without a hint of his accent. "Ray, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Better, I guess. kinda hurts to open my mouth too much." Leo nodded and walked in, bending down to be eye-and-eye with Anthony. Ro stared at the man's butt, biting her lip.  
  
"he got da booty," she whispered to Ray who could only see Leo's side. They laughed.  
  
"And how are you-" Leo stood and cringed. "Why do you smell of barbecue sauce?"  
  
"They fed me vegetarian blood in hopes of turning me back into a fleshy."  
  
"That's not even how it works!" Leo shouted. He turned to Ray and Ro and they scooted back a little. "Which idiot thought of zat plan?"  
  
"Zat?" Ray asked.  
  
"It was me," Ian raised his hand. "I wanted my best friend back."  
  
"Dude!" Anthony screamed, his voice cracking. "You thought killing me would bring me back?"  
  
Ian stared at him. "Barbecue sauce kills vampires?"  
  
"Garlic, you idiot! my throat burns!"  
  
"I didn't know that," Ro screamed. She threw her hands down and Ray patted her shoulder. Leo sighed and raised a hand, everyone in the room freezing movement. He looked to Ro and sighed again. What a fantastic cook, but this slip up could cost her... Ray. No words for him. Ian and Anthony... what idiotic morons who don't know how to shut up at times. None of this would have happened if Anthony didn't want to hit on girls the night Annie and Five returned from their trip.  
  
Leo looked around the room and scoffed, then walked out.Every fell back into a sleep, then woke up after a few seconds.  
  
"Where did Leo go?" Ro asked sweetly voiced. "He was just here..." She yawned and stood, looking to Anthony.  
  
"Let's keep him in his chair and come back later," Ray said.  
  
"Yeah," Ian agreed. "Hope and the kids can come for him later."  
  
They stood and walked out Ian taking one last tearful look at Anthony before leaving with Ray and Ro.  
  
=  
  
"If he is not coming for these tickets, I'll take everyone with me to the fair and he cannot go," Guy said to Tom in French. They walked about the manor and started heading towards a living room in hopes of stealing the tele for The Simpsons dubbed over in French. "We can take the pretty ladies of the manor."  
  
"And he's stuck here with his over dramatic girlfriend and his depressant best friend."  
  
"Whilst we go and have fun on rides, kissing chicks, probably get laid..."  
  
"That sounds nice," Guy agreed. They walked into the living room to see a collection of 'bots and a very nice looking lady. Very nice.  
  
"Dibs," Tom whispered. Guy elbowed him as they walked through the floor covered with legs and a head of Rabbit's. They sat between Hatchworth and Matt, noting how the pretty girl with white hair looked.  
  
"A kind of feeling I've waited so long," Guy said to Tom. He elbowed him right back and they bickered about, no one understanding what they were saying.  
  
"Hey!" Rabbit shouted. The two looked at her. "I can't hear the static!"


	124. Leo finds out the one detail Grimm didn't include in the briefing, Old people get laid sometimes too - Whistler

Leo trudged wearily into the living room after rounding up the Youtubers and making them return to the kitchen. A quick visit to the vampires had provided the information that Anthony wouldn't die from the garlic... but he would throw up. Ro, Ray and Ian were now mopping up the mess, and Anthony was huddled in the vault with the other vampires and a gallon of pig's blood to tide them over.  
  
He found Carolina sitting there with a crowd of robots and Bunny just leaving.  
  
"Matter Mistress," he said politely.  
  
"Leo." She sniffed and made a face. "You need to shower. Matt and Janelle's mom is coming out around two to have Peter sign adoption papers for Jan. Guess Matt's old enough to take care of himself." She chuckled. "Anyway, yeah, you smell like a dumpster at a Fourth of July picnic."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Carolina's covering for me. I'm checking in on Peter and then I need a break."  
  
Leo laughed. "You? You never take a break!"  
  
"Today is special. Between the robots deciding Vivian is their new mother..."  
  
"Who?" he gasped.  
  
"Vivian! The new girl."  
  
When had she shown up? Grimm hadn't given him much notice. "She works here? Since when?"  
  
Bunny's eyebrows settled in a solid, angry line over her eyes.  
  
"What did I say?" he asked, leaning away.  
  
"Yes," she said tightly. "But at the rate she's going... ugh. I don't know what's come over Peter. He was working just fine and then he noticed she was there and the next thing you know he's Mr. Darcy!"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Jane Austen?"  
  
He stared at her blankly.  
  
"Men..."  
  
"Well, zat's funny coming from you..."  
  
"Don't. Just don't."  
  
"But what do you mean?"  
  
"Peter is gushing all over her! It's vomit inducing..."  
  
"Don't say vomit..." he sighed.  
  
"I refuse to ask. I assume it's under control, whatever it is."  
  
"It is, but..." He snickered. "Wait... wait wait wait... Are you telling me zat Peter and Vivian...?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"As in, she's interested in 'im, too?" he asked, a giggle starting. This was too much. If Vivian was here to be married and deflowered, then Peter... He bit his lip, trying not to laugh.  
  
"What's with the accent, Pepe le Pew? Anyway, yeah... they were drooling all over each other. It was all I could do to stay in the room... and now the robots..."  
  
Leo couldn't hold it back any longer. He clapped his hand over his mouth as a roar of laughter burst forth.  
  
"I didn't find it funny! Janelle's still not..." She glared as he fell back against the wall, helpless with amusement. "Will you stop... Ugh! Leo!" she hissed. "It isn't that funny!"  
  
"Sorry..." he gasped, wiping his eyes. "It's... no, right. I just... I didn't see zat coming..."  
  
"Why would you?" she snapped irritably.  
  
He giggled through clenched teeth but it didn't help much. "Oh... I'm gonna need my inhaler..."  
  
Bunny sighed wearily. "I'm obviously missing some part of the joke. I'll live. See you at two, Andre the Giant."  
  
He pulled out his inhaler as she stomped away. After a quick drag, he slipped into the living room where he at last saw Vivian, sitting in the middle of a cluster of robots like a nursery school storyteller. She had one arm around Michael Reed and the other around Matt, and the others were watching her intently as she spoke gentle, soothing words to them about Janelle. How in the world had she won them all over, just like that?  
  
She glanced up at him, smiling. Hm, he thought. So this was an eight-hundred year old woman! Very pretty. Good height for Peter, too. He fought the urge to start laughing again.  
  
Meanwhile, Vivian's smile had faded.  
  
"What's wrong, mama?" GG asked, nuzzling her knee. The other robots turned and saw Leo. Carolina looked back and forth between them, a puzzled expression on her face.  
  
Leo looked at Vivian in surprise. She knew! She knew what he was, and she was... worried? Scared? Angry? Maybe all of the above... Grimm had said she was under the protection of his brother, who believed Grimm wanted to harm her. She clearly had the same impression.  
  
"It's alright," Leo murmured. "I'm only 'ere to check on things. My... employer 'as directed me not to interfere."  
  
He looked Vivian in the eye as he said it. Her frown deepened for a moment, and then her eyes widened slightly. Grimm, she mouthed, and he nodded very slightly. He could see her entire body relax. She smiled, a little weakly.  
  
"Merci," she said softly. "How do you do? I'm Vivian."  
  
\----------  
  
"Peter? Peter, darling..."  
  
"Hm?" He'd resumed his work and was nearly done, and not a moment too soon, with Janelle's mom coming at two. What would she say if she came to make him her daughter's legal guardian and found that he'd nearly let the girl kill herself, intentionally or otherwise?  
  
He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at last and saw his mother. She put her arms around him.  
  
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," she said, muffled against his shoulder. "I'd be very proud to have Janelle as a granddaughter."  
  
He stood stiffly at first, startled from his working trance. Then he put his arms around her and said, "Aw, mom... Thanks... Look, I'm sorry I said..."  
  
"No. I asked for it."  
  
"I'd argue but we're only just making up."  
  
She laughed and there were tears in her eyes. "I'll leave you alone, okay? Get married or don't. I don't want you to have anything less than your parents have. You shouldn't settle for just any girl."  
  
"Wow, mom, that's huge."  
  
"I know!" she giggled. "I have to go get cleaned up, alright? When is she coming over?"  
  
"Two."  
  
"Alright." She let go and walked away.  
  
"Where's Dad, anyway?" he asked, returning to his work.  
  
"Getting a shower and a fresh shirt."  
  
"Oh, why?"  
  
"I'm wearing his. He tore mine, I'm afraid..."  
  
He looked up in surprise as she walked out, nodding to Bunny as she passed. Bunny turned and watched her walk away.  
  
"What?" Bunny said, gaping.  
  
"I... don't want to think about it..." Peter said slowly.  
  
"There was dust all over her butt..."  
  
"I said I don't want to..."  
  
"She seems a lot more relaxed..."  
  
"Okay, seriously, I just said..."  
  
"Oh, come on, where did you think you came from?"  
  
"I really don't want to think about it!" he barked, turning back to Janelle.  
  
He heard his mother snicker as she walked away.


	125. She's alive! (and well) - NinjaPastry

Michael swung into the door, Matt not too far behind. "You called?" they asked. Bunny and Peter smiled at them and Matt walked over to Jan. Michael stood idle, scared. What if she didn't turn back on? What if she was going to scream?  
  
Peter and Bunny sat Janelle up, Matt holding her shoulders to keep her from falling over. Bunny grabbed a battery and put it into Janelle's casing while Peter held away the wrap.  
  
"You may or may not see her... chest, so prepare yourself."  
  
"Peter, I've had girlfriends."  
  
"Yeah, Bunny, but, I was more talking to Matt." He turned around, making Peter nod. Good enough. Peter wrapped the bandage back around her and pressed a button in the top of her neck. She jolted, screamed, and wrapped her arms around Peter, scaring himself and Bunny. Matt drew his hands away and let her cry into Peter.  
  
"Honey! Honey, please calm down, I'm here for you, I promise," Peter whispered to her. He glanced to the clock. Noon. "Janelle, listen, okay?"  
  
She sniffled and looked at him, Peter wiping the tears from her eyes.  
  
"Today Ms. Lilly is coming by and signing some papers."  
  
"What p-p-papers?"  
  
"I'm going to adopt you. You'll be a full Walter, not a Smith-Walter. You'll be my daughter."  
  
She stared at him. What?  
  
"Is that alright with you? Would you like to be my daughter?" he asked. She continued to stare. "Did I break you...?" She looked away from him, at his lab coat, then turned and looked at Matt. He sighed and hung his head.  
  
"It's your choice, January," he said kindly. She glanced over to Michael who wasn't watching, rather looking out the doorway and quietly sobbing. Why wasn't she answering? Silence continued to fill the room. Jan slowly went back to hugging Peter and nodded, shutting her eyes. He laughed, a thankful laugh, and hugged her tightly.  
  
"I love you, dad," Janelle said with a slight crack and static in her voice box. He laughed, Bunny seeing the tears drip from the bottom of his mask.  
  
"I love you, too!" he cried. Matt and Michael left the room and had to walk outside to calm down while Bunny just stood there smiling. After a while of holding her, he sighed shakily and swallowed. "Okay, at two your mother is coming over and you will need to look nice for her. Can you do that? And smile?"  
  
She let go of him and hopped from the table, nodding at him. She grinned, then walked out. Bunny waved at Peter and followed her to give the man some space. He looked to the ceiling, sighed, then headed towards the kitchen for lunch.  
  
He found himself standing in the kitchen a few minutes later with a mug of coffee and some toast with peanut butter and syrup (organic, of course). He trudged his way to his room and sat upon his bed, taking his mask off to enjoy his toast. He gulped down his coffee and cringed, then finished his lunch.  
  
What if he had lunch with Jan? When she had something to have for lunch, like engine cleaner or Pennzoil. He brushed the thought off and put his plate and mug by the door, then went to his closet. What would a young man wear to sign a piece of paper to adopt a child? A dress shirt, a bowtie, khakis, maybe some nice shoes?  
  
He picked out a nice blue shirt, his khakis, a pair of leather shoes he wore to the funerals of his friends and his soon-to-be-daughter, a black bowtie, and a nice black suit jacket. That seemed nice enough. Once dressed, his hair nice and made, he walked to the living room where everyone was, watching the static on the screen.  
  
"Announcement," Peter said, making sure he had his mask on. "I'm going to be a dad. Get dressed nicely for Ms. Lilly and meet me in the dining hall if you care to join me." He looked to Vivian and smiled, waving at her slightly. She smiled at him and picked GG up. The little giraffe sang and laughed, loving being carried by her "mama".  
  



	126. Straightening out Daft Punk, Masters and Johnson, Janelle meets Vivian, Happy family - Whistler

"Alright!" Leo said briskly to counteract the laugh that was even now threatening to return at the sight of Peter backing shyly away from Vivian and heading off down the hall. It was true, then. He still couldn't get his head around it. "You heard the man. Walter white!"  
  
Guy and Tom blinked at him and turned back to Vivian, who was setting GG down and rising from her seat with the unnecessary aid of Hatchworth and Rabbit.  
  
He sighed. "I know you speak English..."  
  
Guy murmured something in French and Tom grinned. Vivian looked at them sharply, eyes flashing in anger. They suddenly fell silent. Leo's eyebrows raised in suddenly comprehension. That's right... she'd thanked him earlier and... she also spoke French!  
  
This just got better and better. But first things first... Vivian looked ready to kill. Better to handle things himself...  
  
"Allons-y!" he barked in his best military decibels, and Guy and Tom got up and marched out as if controlled by remote.  
  
"Miss Vivian," he said softly, afraid to startle her. "I apologize in behalf of the staff 'ere for zeir comments. Zey had no idea you could understand zem... I realize zat's no excuse. Zey will be reprimanded."  
  
She sighed and her expression relaxed. "Again, I thank you," she said, and hurried out with the robots around her.  
  
"What did they say?" hissed Carolina eagerly the seconds the others had gone.  
  
"Zey were discussing which of zem could get 'er in the sack first," he said bluntly, rising and holding out his hand.  
  
 _"No!"_ she said in the voice of one both scandalized and darkly amused.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Using rather crude language as well. Things are a little different where zey come from."  
  
"I don't know about that," she said grimly. "We talk big in this country but being a single woman out in the world is like living next door to frat house sometimes."  
  
He leaned in and kissed her. "I know it's a primitive male impulse, but... I like to think I can protect you from zat now..."  
  
"You know what? I've never thought a man's drive to protect the people he loves was primitive. And really, it isn't exclusively male. I've felt it again and again lately. I feel it for the people in the manor... especially you."  
  
She hugged him and he grinned happily as he wrapped his arms around her. "I think it's brilliant," she went on. "Um, by the way... why do you smell like..."  
  
"A dumpster at a Fourth of July picnic?"  
  
"Oh, that's clever, that's it exactly...  
  
"Bunny's description. She 'as a way with words."  
  
"True. Come on, you need a shower."  
  
"Scrub my back?" he said with a wicked grin.  
  
"Maybe next time," she laughed. "I know I have a flexible work schedule but we have to be in there at two and scrubbing your back is too nice a job to rush."  
  
\----------  
  
Annie slipped into a fresh blouse, giggling. "I traumatized Peter, dear!"  
  
"I thought you apologized!" he called from the bathroom.  
  
"I did, but I told him about what you did to my blouse."  
  
"What ever for?"  
  
"He asked... sort of. Look, the boy has no experience with women. I told him I wasn't going to bother him about changing that. But I'm not going to treat him like a child. Even if he never decides to get married or even get himself... well, anyway, if he's going to be a father to Janelle, who is anatomically correct, or hadn't you noticed?"  
  
"It was hard to miss, honey."  
  
"What he could have been thinking..."  
  
"He was thinking the poor child needed to be as close to being human as possible because she'd lost consciousness and here, without so much as a please, would be waking up a robot. He was thinking she'd have years of human experiences that her murderers had stolen, and he wanted her to be able to live her life. He wanted the poor child to be able to feel and experience what we have."  
  
He walked out in his shorts, combing his wet, thinning hair, and began to dress. Annie sighed as she buttoned her last button and tucked the blouse in.  
  
"That angel. He thought of all of that."  
  
"Why do you think he made robots of her brother and her boyfriend? He's a mad scientist, yes. Just like his ancestors." He grinned crazily and waggled his eyebrows. She smiled and shook her head. "But he's another Colonel Walter, I swear. He sees them as people just like we all do, but he knew she'd need more. I saw the schematics. There was never a time she wasn't designed to be as human as he could make her."  
  
"But if he's never... how did he know what to include?"  
  
"He knows biology! But I'll tell you a little secret... tucked away in his reference library is a certain volume published in the sixties by Masters and Johnson.*"  
  
"The one about human..."  
  
"Yes, that one."  
  
"There isn't! Really?"  
  
"2010 printing. Dog-eared."  
  
"But..."  
  
"I didn't ask. For all I know, he bought it while working on Janelle just to figure out where to put the nerve endings in..."  
  
"Oh, stop, I know more than I want to already!"  
  
He laughed and hugged her. "Now who's traumatized?"  
  
"Alright, I'll be good. Sounds like he doesn't need the reality check after all..."  
  
\----------  
  
Bunny helped Janelle get dressed. She was still a bit shaky, the new wiring causing the occasional twinge and spasm as each fired for the first time and was assimilated into her network. Michael and Matt wandered in while she was dressing and hastily hurried back out at a look from Bunny.  
  
At last she led Janelle back out and ordered the other two to get dressed for the signing of the papers. They meekly complied and Janelle giggled.  
  
When they got downstairs, they met Vivian and the robots moving awkwardly down the hall. Vivian didn't seem bothered by her escort, however. She asked them questions and they answer eagerly, like children.  
  
"I can't figure it out," Bunny muttered, watching them approach. "I had to coax Rabbit for months before she'd accept me. And when I had my accident I had to start over. She... well, she was a he then... he kept yelling, 'Bunny ain't got boobies!' and running away. I was tempted to do it right back after the chassis change..."  
  
Janelle giggled helplessly and Bunny smiled. "Yeah, I guess it was funny... well, it is now. But what does Vivian have? I mean, she's beautiful. Carissa kinda gave me the skunk eye when she saw us together. I explained, of course... hee... But yeah, the robots don't care if she's hot... um... pretty."  
  
Janelle smiled. Bunny raised an eyebrow. She wasn't very... well, chatty... Why not? She had spoken, she knew she could speak, but she just didn't.  
  
Her puzzling was interrupted by the group reaching them at long last. "Vivian, this is Janelle. I know you helped repair her but you haven't met her. Janelle, this is Vivian. She works here now."  
  
The last phrase came out a little sharper than intended but no one commented. Vivian walked up to Janelle and put her hand on the girl's cheek. "Cher! Oh, it's good to see you up and about. How do you feel?"  
  
"I... oh... it hurts a little..." Janelle whispered, eyes wide.  
  
"Gracious, child! Did you tell your papa? Oh, you shouldn't hurt, baby... Where is Mr... Where is Peter? Mistress Bunny, have you seen him?"  
  
"Not since we left to get her dressed," Bunny gasped. She'd never seen anything like it. Most new workers were put off by the robots, even afraid. Some were fascinated. But Vivian... Vivian treated Janelle like a young girl in pain. It had never even occurred to Bunny to ask if she felt alright, she realized with a stab of guilt. That must have been why she was so quiet. Janelle had grown up in an environment where you hid your pain...  
  
"Well, now... Hatchworth, baby, can you find Peter and tell him Miss Janelle is hurting and needs her papa?"  
  
Hatchworth looked at her adoringly and said, "Yes, mama! I will find him right away!" and hurried away with Rabbit in pursuit.  
  
"I can search for him too!" she cried.  
  
"Y'all be-have! They's enough hurt automatons here!" Vivian called sharply. The two nodded and moved off in a more orderly manner.  
  
Bunny leaned back against the wall, her mouth hanging open. It just wasn't fair... Vivian turned back to her and put her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Oh! I am so sorry, Mistress Bunny! I am overstepping my position. I had no right to give orders in your place..."  
  
Bunny smiled in spite of herself. "Well, I believe in getting the job done in the most effective way. Those robots answer to no one most of the time. If you can get them to help with a just a word, more power to you. Now, Janelle..."  
  
She looked at Janelle and gasped. "Oh... Does it hurt that much?" Bunny asked in shock. Janelle was crying!  
  
"No... I don't know why I'm crying..."  
  
"Probably still recovering from the crash," Bunny sighed. "I suppose that would account for some emotional instability..."  
  
Vivian nodded. "You been through a lot, baby. Come here." She pulled Janelle to her and held her.  
  
"Miss Vivian," Bunny said at last, watching Janelle curl herself down to lay her head sideways against the woman's shoulder. "I don't know what to say. You came here knowing nothing about robotics but you have outdone me..."  
  
"Nonsense..." Vivian sighed, resting her head against Janelle's cheek and stroking her back carefully. "I done seen... I've seen your abilities, Mistress Bunny. You know the science. I'm just experienced in comforting the hurt."  
  
"I don't know what it is about her, Miss Bunny..." Janelle sighed, clinging to Vivian. "I just feel so safe here."  
  
"Good," Bunny sighed. "It's about time you did..."  
  
\----------  
  
Peter jogged down the hall after the robots. He'd expected some twinges but there shouldn't be pain...  
  
They reached the others and Peter stopped and stared. Despite her height, Janelle was nestled in Vivian's arms, like a child with her mother. The sight took his breath away.  
  
"Jan?"  
  
"Hi, Dad..." said Janelle.  
  
"Wh-where does it hurt... um... sweetie?" He was a little new to the paternal terminology... sometimes it came naturally, but the sight of Vivian so naturally mothering Jan made him self-conscious.  
  
"My back..."  
  
Vivian hastily removed her hand from Janelle's back but the girl said quickly, "No! That makes it feel better!"  
  
"Your papa needs to take a look, baby," Vivian said quietly.  
  
He gently unzipped Janelle's dress and winced as she let out a hiss of pain. "Hang on, honey," he murmured soothingly, without really thinking about it. "Just hold still and let me see..."  
  
A metal shaving wedged in the battery casing. Was that all it was? He pulled a little screwdriver from his pocket and gently pried the piece out. Janelle gasped and began to cry as Vivian held her steady.  
  
"Oh! Sorry, does it still hurt?" he asked anxiously.  
  
Janelle snuffled and took a cooling breath. "No," she sighed. "That just really stung!"  
  
"Then..."  
  
"Yeah. I feel better. Thanks Dad."  
  
She reached an arm out to him, and he stepped forward, bemused. Janelle slipped her arm around him and pulled him in close, right up against Vivian.  
  
"Oh, sorry, Miss Vivian..." he gasped. He was pressed against her now, along with Janelle, and his hand had definitely hit her in the butt. His heart sounded in his ears like distant thunder as he tried to figure out what to do with his arms...  
  
"Just hug us, Dad..." Janelle said, as if reading his mind.  
  
He lowered his arms around them slowly, resting them around their waists.  
  
"Tighter," Janelle prompted, peering up sidelong from where her head lay.  
  
He squeezed and felt a little dizzy. Vivian was so soft... His face was so close to hers... of course, that didn't mean much with his mask in the way, and yet... it almost felt as if it wasn't even there.  
  
Vivian looked up at him for a moment with a strange expression, tears sparkling in her eyes. She closed them and leaned her head forward against Janelle's once more... which meant it was also resting against Peter's chest. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, too, relaxing against them. He didn't understand what was going on, but something about this felt... perfect.  
  
The next moment he realized what he was doing and straightened up hastily. The others were staring at them all in wonder. One thing about the Blue Matter vortex... it concealed blushing.  
  
"Your neck is turning red, Peter. Are you feeling alright?" said the Matter Mistress with a chuckle.  
  
 _D@mmit, Bunny._  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *if you're wondering, look up Masters and Johnson on Amazon. That'll explain it well enough. It's science, nothing dirty, but definitely mature. I didn't want to push the Cavalcadium filters too far.
> 
> And making Bunny a smart-mouth feels about right. ;)


	127. In which AJ plays with fire - NinjaPastry

"But I have school," AJ protested. "I am not leavin'."  
  
UpGrade glared back at him. "I don't care!" she yelled. "You're leaving with us and that's final, young man!"  
  
"Me mum and pa got betar alreaah and I'm stayin har!" AJ looked over at Jon who was staring at UpGrade, like he always did when she yelled. He froze up and dipped out of her way, but he was stuck next to the bed and dresser, faulting him to stand and stare in fear of her.  
  
"I'm your 'mum' and Jon is your 'pa', now. Okay? Now, be my little prince and help pack!" As if a switch was flipped she returned to her happy persona, making AJ step towards the door a bit more. She noticed, walking to him and pushing him up against the wall.  
  
"Unhand me you clag-tail arab!" AJ yelled. She bared her teeth and pointed at his bag she had found for him. He then shook his head and Jon put his head down, lip quivering from what AJ could see. Why did he even stay with her if she was so mean?  
  
UpGrade's angry looks slowly faded into a pain-filled, jaw-dropped, breathless stare. AJ looked to her strangely, then saw his real mother and father standing at the door, Hatchet having a Darth Vader-like choke hold on her. UpGrade fell to the floor and Hatchet grabbed AJ's arm, pulling him away from him. Jon looked at the two and sighed.  
  
"She's fine, just shut off. Jon, be careful, please," Spine said, doing his best to hide his accent. Jon nodded and waved at them as Hatchet walked back to his room with him.  
  
"Thanks, mum," he sighed, pulling out a small pink bow from his black, silky curls. She laughed and nodded.  
  
"It's fine. Thank you for being patient, love," she said to him. He nodded and Spine followed them into AJ's room.  
  
"Pick out something nice," Hatchet said to the boy. He went to his closet and held up a vest, a white shirt, a red tie, and black slacks.  
  
"Have you no shoes?" Spine asked.  
  
"I need not of them," he replied. "Instead I steal them."  
  
Hatchet and Spine looked to each other, Spine grinning. "He learned from one of us-"  
  
"I thought we said we weren't to talk about it?"  
  
"How long do we have?"  
  
"An hour?" Hatchet said, unsure of what- oohhh... Spine shoved Hatchet out of AJ's room and into their own, AJ instantly hearing his mum scream. He rolled his eyes and walked out after getting dressed, bare feet lightly hitting the floor while he walked.  
  
He combed and slicked back his hair and tucked his beanie into his back pocket, heading down the staircase and around the corner to the elevator when he bumped into Carolina.  
  
"Oh!" she laughed, taken aback by his sudden presence. He smiled, then walked past, blowing smoke at her. She blinked, shook her head and then turned to look at him as he stepped into the lift. She rushed to get in with him and made it just in time.  
  
"What did you do to me?" she yelled. "I am not attracted to you!"  
  
"Never said you were," he grinned. She punched him in the face and recoiled, letting out a scream. He laughed and grabbed her other hand, kissing it lightly.  
  
"You prick!" she screamed, pressing the 4th floor button and running out. AJ shrugged and continued on his way to the main floor, finding himself in the dining hall where he saw more people waiting. Peter, Jan, Matt, Mike, Annie, Five, and Bunny. Vivian walked out of the kitchen and set down a plate of strawberries for Annie, as she had requested.  
  
He took his seat beside Mike and Jan waved at him He waved back. Her arm twitched and she shivered, Peter wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"Wha's wrong wif har?" AJ asked.  
  
"New wiring," Michael sighed. "She drowned herself." AJ looked at Michael who sighed, Matt patting hs shoulder.  
  
"She's fine now-"  
  
"There's something she was upset about and if whatever triggered her to do that in the first place happens again, who knows what she'll do..."  
  
"What's the worst she could do? Run away? Drink Blue Matter?"  
  
"Don't give her ideas," Peter hissed. Jan sighed and Peter rubbed her shoulder.  
  



	128. Too much talk of foundation garments, Leo talks far too calmly to AJ - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a good thing a robot can't poo himself.

"Oh, Peter, by the way. We're going to need to take Vivian shopping."  
  
"Hm?" Peter said suddenly. He was holding Janelle, and looking alternately between her and Vivian. "Why?"  
  
"She came here with one change of clothes, dummins," Bunny continued. "She didn't even have a..." She glanced around the table. "She needs some basic foundation clothing."  
  
Vivian looked at her, puzzled. What was it Bunny had said that morning when she brought her the dress? "Wow, you don't wear a bra?" She was still confused by that... Bunny hadn't explained what a bra was. She'd been looking at her bust when she said it, then had to leave in a hurry to do something. Bunny was clearly a very hard working woman.  
  
"Oh, some..." Peter was saying quietly, watching Bunny make a strange wrap around motion with her hands. Vivian began to get an uncomfortable suspicion about the location of the garment they were discussing.  
  
"What, the girl doesn't have any bras?" cried Annie.  
  
Peter hung his head and thumped his mask on the table softly. "Mom, we were trying to be tactful..." he groaned, sitting up.  
  
"Oh, nonsense. You kids tell your life stories on the internet. Bras are nothing."  
  
"Mom..."  
  
"Well, no wonder you can't see a strap line under that dress..."  
  
"Did you look for one?" he asked, scandalized.  
  
Vivian wondered at his shock. She remembered feeling his hand rubbing her back at some point during the hug... He had seemed especially interested in her upper back. She still shivered when she thought of it. Someday...  
  
"I knew something was off but I didn't realize what," Annie plowed on. "Well, she's very well endowed. She's going to need support or they're going to get..."  
  
"Annie!" Bunny cried, glancing at AJ, who didn't appear to be listening.  
  
"It happens to the best of us, dear."  
  
"Well, that's cheerful news..." sighed Bunny, glancing down at herself briefly. "So anyway, yeah, we need to pick up a few things..."  
  
"Do you have a way to transport Blue Matter, Vivian?" asked Five.  
  
"Trying to change the subject?" asked Matt, chuckling. "That's pretty random..."  
  
"No, Vivian is from Kazooland and she was telling us she requires Blue Matter to survive. She can't very well go shopping without a supply."  
  
"What? No, that can't be..." Peter exclaimed. "She'd have visible deformities... discoloration of hair, skin and eyes..."  
  
Everyone was looking back and forth between them. Peter nodded.  
  
"Yes, I do realize there does seem to be some of that but... Alright. So that's why you fainted?"  
  
"Yes... I ran out..."  
  
"But... why did you come here? I mean, why risk your life to come here?" he asked, astonished.  
  
Everyone looked at her. She felt more nervous than she could remember feeling in centuries... "I'd... it's difficult to explain. Things were... unbearable where I lived. I couldn't stay there anymore, not under the circumstances... There was..." Ah, of course! "There was a man involved."  
  
The others gave awkward nods and made sympathetic noises but Annie perked up and looked searchingly at her. Vivian looked away and blinked away tears. This was much harder than she had anticipated. Here he was, right across the table. She had been in his arms! And now she had to lie to him... or at least, she had to mislead him, if she wanted him to remain uninfluenced and make his own choice. And she did. She wasn't interested in pushing him into anything...  
  
But no one asked any more questions. She'd made the situation sound sufficiently awkward. Good thing, too. Even Five had stopped trying to find out more about her need for Blue Matter. And Annie had ceased talking about her breasts...  
  
Leo came in as the conversation resumed on other subjects, and Vivian gasped softly. Leo no longer represented a threat, but he came in surrounded by an aura of power and with a look of quiet fury. AJ sank slightly in his chair as Leo pulled out a chair for himself... directly across from the boy. He sat, chin on his hands, and gazed placidly at AJ, who looked back with an expression of impudent bravado. But, under the table, the boy's fingers were tapping uneasily on his knees.  
  
"Carolina tells me you two talked briefly," Leo said lightly, just loud enough to be heard by him... and Vivian, who was beside him.  
  
"Hardly at a'," the boy responded.  
  
"Oh. Well, that's good. Because I think that you should think before you... speak. In fact, when it comes to the people living in this house, I want you to be on your best behavior. Alright? Your parents are the guardians of these people. Their work guarantees the safety of the Walter household."  
  
He glanced at Vivian and winked very slightly. She smiled. She hadn't realized. Nod had protected her until she arrived and took a job. And now Grimm himself was bound to keep her safe! It was a thing of beauty...  
  
"They even saved my life once..." Leo was continuing. "So you can be sure they wouldn't appreciate you being disrespectful to their charges. I won't have to tell them that, though, will I?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"An apology is in order for Miss Carolina, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"Yeh, sure..."  
  
"Good! Because as angry as your parents would be at you disrespecting a member of the household... It pales in comparison to how angry I'll be if you lay one oily finger on Carolina. Don't forget that, and don't forget who I am."  
  
AJ scowled down at the table.  
  
"Alright. Shame you're an automaton... if you were some snot-nosed kid I'd let her take you out herself."  
  
"Weren't you just a snot-nosed kid yourself a few weeks ago?" AJ sulked. His eyes widened. "Sorry sir!"  
  
Leo's cheek twitched. "There's all kinds of kids. And to me, that was eight years ago. Now I am who I am, and I've promised to protect Carolina and this household." He sighed and leaned back and the tension seemed to break and fall away. "And that's in your future, too. Son of guardians, future Reaper." He snorted. "Yehr a wizard, Harry!"  
  
AJ snickered and choked it off, still trying to look surly.  
  
"My compliments to your programmers. You are thoroughly teenaged," Leo laughed.


	129. Leo intervenes for good, vampires chat - NinjaPastry

Leo relaxed back in his chair, tapping on the table with his hands. Peter looked over at him and he smiled with a nod, getting up from his seat. He walked around Vivian and faced Peter, still on the other side of the table.  
  
"Monsieur, I shall get dressed and attend to Carolina's getting dressed and see to her injury, then we shall join you."  
  
Janelle looked up at Leo and he saw the glow of her spirit fading away. "That'd be great," Peter interrupted. But, what injury does Carolina have?"  
  
"Admin Jon broke her hand quite nicely." Leo nodded and walked away, looking back at Janelle. Something was wrong... was she sick? It pained him to see her that way. Leo drew a breath and walked back to the dining room, taking Janelle from her seat and carrying her from the room, no questions from Peter. However, Bunny jumped up and ran after him.  
  
"Hey," she yelled down the hall. Leo set Janelle down on the staircase and glared back at Bunny. She stopped short and took a couple steps back. "What are you doing with her?"  
  
"Making her feel better. Get Matt and Mike out here, too. I forgot to ask them as well."  
  
"What did you ask her that I didn't hear about? I'm her nanny, I am supposed to know."  
  
"Well, you knew she drowned herself, so you'd know she's depressed. You knew she's been quiet, so you know she's unsociable. She's sad. She doesn't want to be here."  
  
"What are you leading to?" Bunny asked, crossing her arms. Leo huffed and pointed back to the other room. Bunny glared right back and turned around, going to get the boys. The man looked back to Janelle. She looked right back at him and sat herself up.  
  
"So, I'm guessing it's a yes?"  
  
"It's a no, for now, but I can pull some strings and you can be just as normal." She smiled at him and shut herself off, making Leo frown. He'd be helping her so much... If only time would stop...  
  
He picked her up again. Half an hour. He could do this. He set Janelle down on the couch and an back to tell Bunny where to put Matt and Mike, then ran back to Carolina.  
  
"Leo? What's going on? You seem frantic..." She watched him grab his kit from his desk and set it down. "What's wrong?" she sniffled.  
  
"I have half an hour to save three lives and fix one."  
  
"I want to pull the smart card and say I'm the 'fix one'."  
  
"Oui. Give me your hand, please."  
  
She held her hand out to him, Leo cringing at how bruised and swollen it already was. She whimpered when he pulled out a needle from the kit and pressed the metal to her arm. They stared at each other and Leo pushed in the medicine, making her cry out. He withdrew the needle and she put a hand to her elbow crook.  
  
Afterwards Leo placed metal, flat sticks onto her hand and pressed down, making her scream. He quickly wrapped her hand up and wrapped her wrist along with it and led her to the kitchen for some ice.  
  
=  
  
Paul dipped his hand into the empty bucket and licked the last of the blood from his fingers, Lizzie taking any last drops she could. Pruitt and Anthony looked to each other and sighed. The candles that were lit smelled amazing, but there were kids in the room. Maybe putting them to sleep would help? Nah, that'd be mean.  
  
"Lizzie," Paul whined, "You said I could have the last drops!"  
  
"But you left it alone and I'm still hungry!" she said back, then sticking her tongue out at him. Lizzie flicked the air and Lizzie landed against the door, Paul unable to move suddenly.  
  
"No fighting," she barked. "Anthony, are you still feeding?"  
  
"Yeah, I think," he said, a pain soaring in his stomach. "We might need another bucket, or two."  
  
"We'll be out soon, I'm sure," Pruitt sighed. She rested her head upon Anthony's shoulder and laughed. "If only if only the southern winds blew," she whispered. The kids looked at her and Anthony raised an eyebrow. "One day to the past and a day to the new. One from the East, three from the West, a northern star dies, each soul it may rest."  
  



	130. Hitched, Peter's vision - Whistler

"Peter?"  
  
"Hm?" Peter said suddenly. Most of the staff had joined them by now, Sam and Chelsea, David and Gabi, Tom and Guy (who had looked sidelong at Vivian and slunk off to the end of the table). Conversation had long since moved on without him and he'd been using the inscrutable blank keyhole of his mask to give AJ a glare he wouldn't forget. He didn't have much practice parenting but he knew all dads had The Look. He'd seen it in an episode of Tokyo Pig... In any case, it was working. AJ's eyes barely showed above the edge of the table as the boy sank lower in his chair.  
  
Steve sighted along Peter's "gaze" and said, "Hey, buddy! Been meaning to take you out for a night flight."  
  
AJ looked up, surprised, and straightened slightly as Lil Steve clambered from Steve's pocket and ran across the table to AJ. "Really?"  
  
"Aw, yeah. It's not right for a kid to be cooped up in this old mausoleum..."  
  
"Hey!" cried Peter, Five, Annie, and Bunny all at once.  
  
Steve grinned and rolled his eyes at them. "I can only fly at night, because, y'know... widespread public panic and the FBI, the CIA, Homeland Security... Yeah, so, maybe later, huh?"  
  
"Yeah..." AJ said quietly. "That'd be cool."  
  
"Alright! So, Peter..." Steve leaned in close and whispered in his ear. "Me and Carol... we did it."  
  
Peter fought the urge to thump his head on the table again. "Yeah... you really don't have to tell me..."  
  
"No," snickered Steve. "I mean we did it... Y'know... got married."  
  
"What?" Peter cried.  
  
The others stopped their conversation and turned at Peter's shout. Steve hastily grabbed Peter's shoulders and gave them a brisk massage.  
  
"Whoa, there, Bessie! Just a little wound up, huh? Talk amongst yourselves." he laughed. The household chuckled in a scattered sort of way and returned to their eating and talking. Steve whispered, "No need to freak out. It's not like you didn't know about it."  
  
"But how? When?" Peter hissed. "I thought there was all sorts of legal nonsense..."  
  
"I have friends in high places."  
  
Five turned to them and winked. Annie looked back and forth between them.  
  
"Alright, what's going on?" she said loudly. The table once again trailed into silence.  
  
Steve sighed, grinning, and sank into Leo's vacated chair. He patted Annie's hand and said, "Okay, calm down. I wanted to kinda keep it on the down-low, but Carol and I went ahead and got married."  
  
There was a moment of tense silence and then it began. Steve laughed as they all started talking at once.  
  
"And that was why I was whispering," he told Peter. Peter nodded.  
  
Annie was complaining that she'd been hoping to make it special for them. Bunny was laughing and alternately clapping her hands, high-fiving David, and saying she'd been afraid Annie had that in mind. Five was offering hearty congratulations and David, Sam and Rabbit were singing something totally unintelligible with the word "married" occasionally recognizable in the chaos. Chelsea was nibbling strawberries and chocolate that Ro had brought out, and looking thoughtfully at Sam.  
  
Peter's eyes drifted to Vivian. Annie was offering her a strawberry. She took one and glanced his way and he saw a look, just for a second, before she realized he wasn't just turned her way but was actually looking at her. He'd seen that look when he'd put his arm around her. He swallowed.  
  
It was noisy. Everyone was asking Steve questions... When? This morning. Where? England. Would there be a honeymoon? He!! yes. Where was Carol? Packing for the honeymoon.  
  
Peter would have run off to a lab or study if he could... He didn't handle noise well. His mind tended to start to slip sideways for its own protection, and it was best not to fight it. He usually let himself fall gently into an almost dreamlike state and ponder some scientific mystery until things were quiet again... but she was looking at him, and his thoughts instead turned to another mystery.  
  
Almost like a whisper in his ear came the thoughts... Where have I met you? It just isn't possible that I only met you last night... Why do look so hurt when you look at me? he thought as the noise became a buzz in his ears.  
  
"But dude! We wanted to throw you a bachelor party..." David was saying. He sounded far away.  
  
Tears sparkled in her eyes once more...  
  
I want you to stop looking hurt... I want to stop you hurting... You're not just a girl who needed a job and a home... Who are you, really?  
  
Vivian closed her eyes for just a moment and looked away. He watched her dip the strawberry delicately into the chocolate and take a bite. His mind seemed to buzz as she chewed... she was making a little yummy sound... His neck felt warm...  
  
She was talking with Five about remedies for aching joints, glancing his way from time to time, as he wracked his brain. Images began to shift in his mind's eye... He'd seen her chewing before. He'd heard her giving medical advice. He'd seen her deliver a baby...  
  
What.  
  
But he had. He had. He'd seen her playing with a child while its sick mother rested. He'd seen her with her hair bound up, helping to clear mud from a house after a flood. He'd seen her helping so many people. And sometimes she'd grumbled, about the pain, about the difficulties people caused themselves, about human cruelty or ignorance, but only when they were alone, only when he held her by the fire and played with her silky hair with one hand while they talked... He'd kissed her lips and brushed tears from her cheeks when she'd grown too weary with her work...  
  
He'd kissed her.  
  
It wasn't possible. And he had.  
  
"Peter!"  
  
He kissed her, because he'd fallen in love with her.  
  
It can't be... he thought dreamily.  
  
"Hey! Peter!"  
  
She was looking at him.  
  
"Remember..." whispered a soft voice.  
  
"What?" he asked faintly.  
  
"I said, there's a phone call..."  
  
"Remember, Peter Walter... Come to me..."  
  
"Vivian..." Peter murmured.  
  
"Your cell is ringing!" Steve said loudly.  
  
Peter snapped out of his trance and scrambled to answer it. "Hello?"  
  
"Mr. Walter, I am so sorry! My car has stalled... do you think you could possibly send someone to give me a lift? I'll pay for gas..."  
  
"Oh, no, no, Ms. Lilly, don't worry about the gas. I'll send someone right away... You're very welcome. See you soon."  
  
He clicked off his phone. What had he been thinking about? It was almost as though he'd been dreaming...  
  
"Steve, Ms. Lilly needs a lift. Her address in in my phone." He tossed the phone confidently and Steve caught it without difficulty and jogged out the door.  
  
What was I thinking about? he thought, looking forward again.  
  
"Did you want something, Peter?" asked Vivian, looking at him.  
  
Oh... yeah, right... I know you...  
  
"Um..." he began, heart pounding. It was just a dream though, right? Her hair and eyes were just like the dream, of course... her voice... the way she felt in his arms... well, arm.  
  
He could have sworn he heard a groan of frustration. He glanced around.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Oh... no... I mean yes! I'm, fine... I just..." He took a deep breath. "I just was thinking... remembering..."  
  
What if he was wrong, though?  
  
"An old friend," he finished lamely.  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"How are you? I mean... do you think you'll like it here, Vivian?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Good! You've made quite an impression on... on... the staff and robots. Everyone seems to have... have fallen in love with you..."  
  
"And I with them," she breathed.  
  
Was that just how she talked or... "G-good... Yes. Very good, because... I want you to consider this _your_ home."  
  
She put one hand to her mouth and blinked away tears. "Thank you..." she whispered.  
  
"You're welcome, Vivian."  
  
She looked away shyly and he happened to glance at Annie. Her piercing gaze was fixed on Vivian. She turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow questioningly. He shrugged and looked away, sighing deeply.  
  
 _One thing is certain,_ he thought, _dream or no dream, apparently I'm in love. D@mmit._  
  
He smiled.  
  



	131. Leo's intervention... holy crap! and shock and tension in its wake - NinjaPastry

Thank you, Bunny Bennett. All three of them in one place, the two not making out for once or holding hands. Actually, they seemed strange like that. Leo slid Michael's hand and Janelle's hand together as they slept in stasis and nodded. That looked better. Okay. Now... Leo shut his different coloured eyes and let out a sigh, opening them to see Grimm scratching at his 5-o'clock shadow within his throne.  
  
"Ardo, you return so soon?"  
  
"I need your help, sir."  
  
"What is it? I do not do favors unless something is in return for me, you know that."  
  
"I need for you to give ze thre-"  
  
"Oh, and do you like your accent? I thought it suits you, even though you're more Laosion than French anything."  
  
"Yes, my mom was from Laos, but what does that have to do with anysing? I have a question for you and you're dismissing me. Listen to me."  
  
"Alright alright..." Grimm sank back in his throne, crossed a leg over the other, then lit a cigar and smiled. He was finally getting the brute force reapers are needed to have to get answers, such as the ones he was looking for now.  
  
"So, zere are three automatons I need you to make human again."  
  
"I'm assuming it would be Matthew Elton, Michael Philip, and Janelle Maryanne?"  
  
"Oui. Also, Lina would like to quietly thank you for giving me this, as well as I. She loves it..." He slightly bit his lip and Grimm scoffed.  
  
"It was more for my own entertainment, but go on. What would you like to offer in return?"  
  
"One day of reaping anything, except-" pause for Grimm to roll his eyes -"No one I currently know or will know in the future. Someone distant, years ago, that I don't know or care too much about."  
  
"Deal." Leo smiled. "However, I cannot bring them back to full prosperity." Leo frowned. "They will be human. They will bleed, they will eat and digest, they will sleep, they will burn and freeze, but, they will need their blue matter, their engines, and their batteries. They will desire their oil, their gasoline, their checkups. No questions asked, Ardo. No if's, but's, or coconuts."  
  
"Yes, m'lord," Ardo said with a slight bow.  
  
"Now, be gone with you. You wake and they are as we agreed, healthy, handsome, beautiful human beings. Warn them of their curse, Ardo. They will live forever on in their ages and desire to die."  
"As one has already," he sighed. Grimm nodded.  
  
"Be gone." Leo's eyes shot open and he looked around the living room. Janelle and Michael still holding hands. Matt drooling- oh. my. glob.  
  
"Dear Peter Walter the Third they're human," he mumbled quietly, as not to wake them. Leo stood from the floor and took a step back, feeling hi stomach churn. "p..Peter!" Leo yelled. "Peter!" Was his stutter back? No... not again... cursed Grimm...  
  
"P-Peter! Come here!" he yelled, running to the dining room.  
  
=  
  
Peter stood from his seat, Bunny looking at him strangely. His neck was red again... Had he been thinking of that girl, again? Bunny laughed and elbowed David, making him notice and snicker. Leo ran in and grabbed Peter, dragging him out and no one noticed, except for the twins.  
  
"Leonardo, what's the meaning of this?!" Peter cried. They heard Janelle scream. Peter immediately picked up his pace, even running ahead of Leo.  
  
"Daddy!" she shrieked.  
  
"No no no no please be okay," Peter huffed. They slid into the living room and Peter fell back with a loud gasp. They... what?  
  
"Peter?" Michael asked, running a hand through his hair and feeling the soft curls. He was breathing heavily, his other hand on his chest, pinching himself. He wasn't sure at all what was happening. Janelle was amazed and fearful of why her arms were flesh coloured and not pink and silver metal. She turned over her hands and felt the tears run down her cheeks, wiping them away and then feeling her face.  
  
Matt sat and shook, staring at Janelle. His arms were crossed over his stomach and he was shaking, visibly.  
  
"Leonardo James Kinglser the third what in God's name have you done to them?!"  
  
"Je leur ai fait les humains à nouveau!" he yelled. Janelle looked at Michael and shook her head. He put his hands to her face and laughed, a crying, breathy laugh someone gets after a scary part in a movie that was pointless to jump at, like the cat meowing and scaring you.  
  
Peter punched Leo hard in the arm and walked over to Matt, putting his hands upon his shoulders. Matt jumped and stood out of Peter's grip, looking over at Leo. Matt neared him and hugged him tightly, letting out a shaky sigh. "Thank you," he said quietly. Leo patted his back and smiled at Peter.  
  
"See? I did good zis time."  
  
"Oh, you do good every time," Peter said angrily and walked out. "Ms. April Lilly will be here in ten minutes! Get them ready, Mr. Magic!" he yelled back. Leo looked over at Janelle and Michael, instantly looking away as they felt each other's lips and kissed soon after. Matt finally let go of Leo and pulled Michael off of Janelle, snickering at how red their faces were. Michael had managed to unzip the back of Janelle's dress and she had undone his tie, making Matt laugh and Leo sigh.  
  
"Look nice. You're being adopted by inventors, not wolves," Leo directed. Janelle nodded and turned around for Michael to zip her back up, gasping at the sight of her battery. And her bra. That was kinda nice to see, but still. Battery.  
  
"Um..." Michael said, pointing to the case and looking to Leo.  
  
"Oh, you all are h-h-humans again, however," Leo said, taking a breath, "You have your old powering me-methods, such as blue matter core f-for Michael, engines for hearts for the Smiths, as well as b-batteries an-and plugs for wall charging," he swallowed. Why was it back?  
  
"We're cyborgs?" Janelle asked.  
  
"Oui, but you can eat and drink and use the t-toilet like regular human beings, but you'll live fore-e-evvrrrr... forever like the other robots of the manor."  
  
Speaking of, Leo looked to the door where he heard steam hiss to see Spine and Jon staring at Janelle. The gold and silver bots looked scared. Spine entered the room and played with a curl of Janelle's black hair and scoffed, crunching up his face. Jan looked up at him.  
  
"Spine, it's not New Girl. It's not me at all. It's Janelle, I promise. It's not New Girl," she whispered to him. Michael pulled away Spine's hand and zipped Janelle's dress back up, standing and taking her with him.  
  
"Killers don't get to touch my girlfriend," he hissed. Jon looked at Michael and screamed.  
  
"Out," Leo demanded of Spine and Jon. Hatchet and UpGrade, fuming with rage of each other, grabbed their husbands and walked out without so much as a word to the humanoids.  
  
Leo sat Janelle down as Michael fixed his tie. Leo parted Janelle's hair and made it look nice in contrast with her dress, then pulled a canister of lip gloss from his pocket. She looked at him.  
  
"It's for my scars. Zt tiz supposed to help with moisturizing zem or somesing like zat," he sighed, putting it upon her lips and smiling at her. She smiled right back. Matt fixed his hair and adjusted his bowtie, then Leo led them back into the main room, anxious to what everyone would think... Hopefully good things.  
  



	132. Humans and strawberries - Whistler

Peter hurried back to the dining room. The conversation stopped suddenly when he walked in.  
  
"It's okay," he said as the silence deepened. "Better than okay, I guess... I just wish there weren't so many shocks around here sometimes. A nice quiet day where nothing truly and thoroughly earth-shattering happens..."  
  
He saw Vivian and sighed shakily. At least today's discoveries were good ones. Maybe later there would be a chance to talk to her... he didn't care about what. Something quiet. How to cure insomnia maybe...  
  
"Did you get a sunburn or something?" David snickered. "I swear your neck has been red every time I've seen you."  
  
"Shut up, David. What happened, Peter?" Bunny asked.  
  
"Well... Everyone, you're in for a surprise. Oh, great googly-moogly, how am I going to explain this to Ms. Lilly?"  
  
"What happened already?" barked Sam. He grinned sheepishly as many eyes turned on him. "I can't stand the suspense..."  
  
They heard voices in the hall. "I'm just saying that now I'm human again and suddenly you're unzipping my dress in front of everyone..."  
  
"Is that Janelle?" gasped Bunny.  
  
"Do you blame me? You're beautiful..." said Michael's voice.  
  
"You just love me for my skin..."  
  
"Skin?" whispered Sam. Several people shushed him. Leo walking into the room, shaking his head.  
  
Matt hurried in grinning.  
  
Everyone gasped at once. Matt waved as the argument outside the room continued.  
  
"No... not just for your skin... but I'm not complaining. Look, this is your original form, Jan! This is you... your hair, your face, your body... He even brought you up to date so I won't look like a pedo..."  
  
"Would that matter?" came her petulant voice.  
  
Matt helped himself to a strawberry and looked at it with tears in his eyes.  
  
"Kinda..." Michael responded. "We're going to live for... well, I don't know, a long time, and I don't like the idea of having to avoid the cops the whole time..."  
  
"The whole time?" she said softly. "You... you want to be with me for..."  
  
"Forever, Jan."  
  
Various Walter Girls (and a few guys) were tearing up. Bunny surprised Peter by taking out a hanky and dabbing her eyes. Carissa, beside her, was less affected and trying not to giggle. Bunny shoved her playfully in the arm and smiled.  
  
There was a meaningful silence that Peter assumed meant they were kissing. A moment later, they heard Michael murmur, "Where is everyone? Weren't Leo and Matt just here? I thought the others were in the dining room but it's too quiet..."  
  
"Yeah, that's weird," she agreed. The silent listeners heard their steps approaching.  
  
"Aw, crap..." Peter mouthed. Bunny nodded and rose quickly, waving her hands frantically at the rest. Matt grabbed another strawberry as he was herded out with the rest.  
  
By the time the couple arrived at the doorway, there was an empty table with chairs scattered around it, a plate full of strawberry stems, a nearly empty dish of berries, and the remains of the chocolate sauce.  
  
Peter waved everyone in silence through the kitchen and around to the opposite door. "Follow Bunny! Get to the entrance hall!" he hissed.  
  
They filed past as quietly as possible. Vivian hurried by with Carolina, who had come in not long before, gently shielding her hand from being bumped in the bustle.  
  
"He did a real nice job with it," she was whispering. "He done put the fear into that boy, too..."  
  
Carolina muffled a giggle and hurried past. Vivian glanced up at Peter as they went by. He saw her smile for just a second and then she had followed the others out.  
  
Peter felt momentarily dizzy. He shook his head sharply and hurried back to peek around the doorway into the dining room. For a moment, he thought he just might cry too.  
  
Janelle sat at the table with Michael. Each was holding a strawberry as though it was a diamond. They almost looked afraid. Michael was the first... he took a bite and a little juice ran down his chin. They both giggled as he scrambled for a napkin.  
  
"It hasn't even been that long, Michael!" Janelle laughed.  
  
"Oh, shut up!" he giggled. "Aw, man, that was delicious..."  
  
She looked thoughtfully at hers.  
  
"Go on..." he coaxed. "It's okay. Here, take the napkin."  
  
She accepted the napkin but still hesitated. Michael frowned sadly then brightened just as quickly.  
  
"Got it. Here..." He took her hand and dunked her berry in the chocolate.  
  
"What... that's for the berries?"  
  
"You never had chocolate covered strawberries? Aw, man, if you'd told me that two days ago I would have cried, I swear! But today... today you find out. Go on. I'll spot for you." He grabbed another napkin and held it under her chin.  
  
"Really?" she said dryly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
She rolled her eyes and finally took a bite. Peter and Michael both jumped as she suddenly slammed her hand down on the table, laughing. Michael hastily wiped her mouth.  
  
"Good, huh?" he said, beaming.  
  
"No! Oh my crap, whose idea was that? Those totally do not go together!"  
  
"I am shocked and appalled," Michael gasped. "That's it, forget forever. I can't be with a blasphemer..."  
  
"Oh, stop it. You go ahead and have it with chocolate, I'll have mine plain."  
  
"Oh, alright, the wedding's still on."  
  
She snorted. "You wish."  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
"Yeah." She leaned in and gave him a quick strawberry kiss.  
  
Peter sighed silently. Yeah, it was a good change.  
  
He heard a quiet sound behind him and felt a hand touch his arm. It was Vivian. She waved him quickly away from the doorway and he followed her in silence.  
  
"Miss Bunny sent me to tell you... The young lady's mother is here, Peter."  
  
Of course she sent Vivian. Peter was glad he didn't make a habit of falling in love... Apparently those closest to him considered it obvious and lost no opportunity to needle him about it.  
  
Still, maybe now he could ask her... wait, what? "Oh! Right! Stupid! I mean, stupid me, I actually forgot..."  
  
"You're not stupid," she said with a smile. "Anything but. A thing like that ain't... isn't something to take lightly. But I expect we better tell them to come on."  
  
"Oh, yeah... Look, could you? I need to get in there..."  
  
"Sure, I'd be tickled to do it," she said pleasantly and walked into the dining room.  
  
He had one completely dead moment as his brain conjured up the mental image of Vivian being tickled. Holy crud, when I fall, I fall like a loaded dumptruck, he thought. He paused to hear the soft murmurs of their voices, then tore himself away and hurried to greet Ms. Lilly.  
  



	133. Adoption, the past doesn't just disappear, kids! - NinjaPastry

The slam of a cab door made Peter jump. He slid outside and stood at the door, anxious. What would she say? Would she be afraid? Would she be happy? Would she kill Peter, or even one of them? Peter slicked back his hair. He could feel his neck burn. If only he had the time to get some makeup and smear it over the freckles.  
  
A small, baby blue dress, black tights, a purse, a file, and her blonde hair straightened down upon her shoulders, slight inward curls on the end. She looked dashing. April walked down the way towards Peter and smiled sweetly.  
  
"Hello, Mr. Walter," she said.  
  
"Please, call me Six. It's very nice to see you again, Ms. Lilly."  
  
"April, please," she laughed. They shook hands and Peter led her inside. Peter peeked into the dining hall, Michael and Janelle still sitting there with their strawberries and chocolate. Except now Janelle wasn't wearing anything and either was Michael. The only thing their lips were on were each other's, and Michael was getting a bit grabby.  
  
He cleared his throat and Janelle slid off of Michael hesitantly, tugging down her dress and making Michael. Peter looked back to April and she was still busy staring at the Daft Punk helmets adorned upon the heads of the boys. They waved awkwardly at her and Peter looked back into the dining hall. He sighed. This was it.  
  
"Bunny, let everyone in," he said. April looked at him while Bunny led the workers in, all gasping at the sight of Michael and Janelle. She shook her head, looked back to Peter, then walked in.  
  
"Everyone, take your seats. Princes and Princes and those who don't care sit please!" she called, making Janelle laugh. The workers stared at the two, Jon and human Jon running over t him and tackling him to the floor. Janelle giggled and met her own fate with Bunny and Paige.  
  
David scoffed and helped Michael and Janelle to their feet, the five others congratulating them, as well as Matt who was taking his seat beside Janelle, and talking among themselves. Guy and Tom walked in and warned everyone to seat, then sat at a table and waited. Leo walked in first, Carolina with him, and he sat awkwardly.  
  
Michael slipped his hand into Janelle's and she clung to his arm. This was it. As soon as Peter and April walked in, Michael, Matt, and Janelle stood and smiled. She gasped, putting a hand to her mouth and grabbing onto Peter's sleeve. He looked back at her and laughed, taking her hand.  
  
"m-Matthew! Janelle- what in the world?!" she cried out, running towards them. They walked around the table and hugged her tightly, the workers all holding their breaths. Some even started crying (like Bunny, no surprise).  
  
Peter put a hand to April's back and led them tot he table. He sat down as they did and took the file she handed to him.  
  
"I hereby accept the adoption of Janelle Maryanne Smith and Matthew Elton Smith this day... and accept the legal terms of being a parental guardian of said children..." Peter read aloud, not realizing it. He sighed, resting his mask upon his hand.  
  
Janelle looked nervously to Michael and he kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. AJ sighed and looked over to Leo, quickly looking away when he noticed him. However, it didn't stop him from looking at Carolina. That made Hatchet and Spine glare at him, Spine helping Hatchet wipe her tears of joy.  
  
Peter huffed, flipped through the pages, and then got a pen from his pocket. He clicked it, looked to his family, Vivian, his parents, April.  
  
"Signed Peter Alexander Walter the Sixth," he said in final. Everyone started cheering. He then looked up at Janelle and sighed, seeing her crying, a weak, shaky smile on her face. All the memories were coming back to her. Michael even looked concerned and he was the best at seeing something was wrong.  
  
Janelle ran a hand across her face, he fingers trailing along a large scar from the tip of her left eyebrow all the way down the side of her face in a lightning bolt pattern. She looked at the other ones along her arms and the stitching, looking up at Matt who was feeling one of his own on his forearm.  
  
Jan jolted at the touch of Carolina's hand and cried out, scaring Carolina.  
  
"Honey?" Peter asked. Janelle stood and pushed Michael away, running out the dining hall. Bunny stood and ran after her, leaving them all in total silence.  
  
=  
  
"Jingle?" she called. A while had passed. Everyone had gone back to work. Ms. Lilly left. Ro was already starting to make dinner, everyone in the kitchen happy to see Leo back in action, running service. Matt and Michael feasted upon their favorite foods until Ro snapped at them and made them leave, not saying anything about them sneaking out with a bag of Oreos and a couple of juice boxes.  
  
The two camped out in the butterfly room and ate with the little wind up toys while Bunny searched for her friend. Nearly the whole manor had been looked in. There were select rooms she vowed to stay out of (Hatchet and Spine's, Leo and Carolina's, and Michael and Janelle's, and she knew she wasn't there because Michael had already checked).  
  
"Jingle, where've you gone?" Bunny called. Three rooms left. One stretch of hallway. A bathroom, a bedroom, and one of Peter's offices. She peeked into the dark bathroom and hear no engines running, flipping on the lights and seeing no one in the tub, nor under the sink. She sighed.  
  
Next, a bedroom. She saw someone and flipped on the light, seeing Janelle's curly hair and her battery case, but she had no dress on, just her underwear on. Bunny sighed, looking away. "Jingle, why'd you run off?"  
  
"I don't really know," she said quietly. Bunny looked at her and saw that she was sitting on the bed, the covers on her lap and no sight of a hand above the sheets. Oh great. This age...  
  
"Why don't you put your dress back on and we g get some dinner? Or do you want me to bring you your pajamas and we can eat someplace else?"  
  
Janelle fell back and sighed. "I don't wanna do anything right now." Well, she's obviously doing something... "Just leave me alone."  
  
"Michael I'm sure can help with that," Bunny smiled. Jan scoffed and bit on her lip.  
  
"I want to be left alone. Turn the lights off. Go away."  
  
"No." Bunny crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame. Jan sat up and glared at er.  
  
"You have a listening problem."  
  
"And you have a touching problem. You're human, I get it, you wanna familiarize with your parts, I understand, but you need to eat. You have a human stomach."  
  
"I'll eat later just give me some alone time."  
  
"Your mother left in tears, upset she didn't get a final goodbye from you."  
  
"Good! Wench did nothing to stop that monster!" she screamed. Bunny walked over to Janelle, grabbed her arm from under the covers, and dragged her out of the bed. She screamed out in pain and clawed at Bunny's hand, screaming at her to let go. Bunny dropped her and huffed, letting out a little growl or scream in anger.  
  
"Get your clothes on now! You need to eat, not have fun with yourself! You can do that tomorrow or whatever, not now," she yelled. She looked down at Janelle and noticed her arm and how red it began to get. Was this something to do with the new body?  
  
"Oh no, Jan-"  
  
"Get away from me!" she screamed. She took in a heavy breath, her hand on her arm, and screamed as loud as she could, "Matt!"  
  



	134. Finding a good psychologist, Peter's face, planning a trip to the fun park - Whistler

Peter was propped against the kitchen table, letting his mom rub his back. As much as they had fought lately, it had been one of those days. His dad was calmly working German crossword puzzles in pen... something Peter was used to, being in a family of geniuses. Every now and then Five would start to gently rise from the table, at which point Annie would clear her throat and he'd drift back into his chair, all without looking up from his puzzle.  
  
Peter wondered whether he'd done Janelle a favor in adopting her. In his darker moments he wondered whether it would have been kinder to let her die.  
  
He sighed and watch Vivian hurry past with the plates as the staff prepared for dinner. He could see her glance his way, but did that mean anything? People did that. They didn't know whether he was staring and it made them uneasy. But she didn't seem uneasy. If he had to guess, he'd say she was checking on him. He even saw her smile at Annie.  
  
He heard his text tone and checked it. Bunny had found Janelle. She was having a fit about it, too, so she'd turned her over to her brother. Great.  
  
"Dad, are there any particularly brilliant psychiatrists in the Cavalcadium?"  
  
"There are a lot of brilliant scientists, son. But what you want is someone who's good with people."  
  
Annie laughed.  
  
"Traitor..." muttered Peter. "Fine, what do you suggest?"  
  
"I know someone. Works with victims of abuse all the time. Specializes in post traumatic stress disorder."  
  
"Oh, perfect! Of course... I wonder if I can get them both to go see him..."  
  
"Now who's sexist?" Annie murmured.  
  
"What did I say this time?" he sighed.  
  
"It's a her," said Five. "Get them to go see her."  
  
"Oh. Sorry."  
  
"And I think you mean all three of them," Annie added. "Really, maybe you should just hire her as an in-house analyst, Peter."  
  
"Very funny."  
  
"You could put a kid through college on what she'd make off of this household. Well, anyway, I do think Michael is a candidate for treatment as well."  
  
"So is The Spine," said Five. "But I think his situation is a bit over her head."  
  
The two of them laughed. Peter couldn't see the joke. He really wanted to, too... Today was supposed to be happy. Janelle was repaired, the three of them were human in form, the adoption had gone smoothly... Well, once those two idiots had put their clothes back on! Apparently they had decided to ignore Vivian completely, and speaking of Vivian...  
  
He was in LOVE for crying out loud... and as far as he knew, she was available and he could swear she was interested, though it wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Either way, it was a nice feeling... he hadn't realized just how alive you felt, even if there was no chance at all. His blood was fizzing like soda... it was just like life had opened up like a flower and...  
  
Ugh. He was glad no one could read his thoughts in Walter Manor. So far. He wasn't counting anything out anymore.  
  
Vivian hurried by. He watched her as she flashed a warm smile in passing. He smiled a dopey smile of his own, shielded by his vortex and his mask, and sighed quietly to himself. She was just poured into that dress... of course, that was partially because Walter Girl uniforms were meant to fit closely to minimize work related risks and, as the whole house now knew for some reason, she wasn't wearing a...  
  
He hastily sat up and asked the time.  
  
"Almost time for dinner," said Ro.  
  
"Oh, alright. Um... I'll just go take a rest, then. See you after dinner."  
  
"Where should I send your tray?" asked Ro.  
  
"Oh... um, I'll be in seven."  
  
"Study or lab?"  
  
"Study."  
  
"Peter..." said Annie as he rose. "This is foolish. You have a face in there somewhere... I've seen you eat. Surely the staff here can deal with the sight of you putting food into a Blue Matter vacuum..."  
  
"It's not a vacuum..."  
  
"Oh? Look, they'll get used to it. Eat in the dining room tonight."  
  
"Yeah, son. You must be able to touch it, so where's the danger?"  
  
"I can touch it because I'm saturated with Blue Matter, Dad. You know that. The Walter Workers can touch it briefly because they have a certain degree of saturation but... Y'know, I'm surprised my hair isn't falling out or at least blue."  
  
"You're pale enough," David said, strolling past.  
  
"Thank you," Peter said flatly.  
  
"But sweetheart..."  
  
Peter sighed, patted Annie's shoulder, and walked out past Vivian, who was looking at them with a puzzled frown. He gave a weak little wave and hurried away.  
  
He made his way to study seven and sank into the chair. The big, heavy executive chair felt more like a recliner, really... a purchase he never had any reason to regret. He loosened the fastenings on his mask, wriggled in, and drifted off to sleep with visions of a warm smile.  
  
\----------  
  
"Vivian? Bunny isn't back yet... could you take this to Peter?"  
  
Vivian nodded and took the tray from Ro. "Where do I find him?"  
  
"Oh, that's right, you're new! Sorry... I guess maybe someone else should do it..."  
  
"Oh, I'd be glad to..."  
  
"But if you get lost... David! Can you...?"  
  
David looked up with an expression of extreme reluctance. He was sitting with Gabi and they'd been giggling together nonstop. "What? Oh, she can find it... Wait, where is he?"  
  
Ro rolled her eyes. "Study seven."  
  
"Oh, the napping study..." he said softly. Louder, he added, "Well, seven is on the second floor... just head up the stairs and turn left and stick your head in each room until you hear snoring."  
  
Gabi laughed and Ro said, "Very helpful. Well, he's right, I guess. Up the stairs and to the left. Think you can find it and find your way back?" she added with a wink.  
  
"I expect I can, ma'am."  
  
"Oh, just call me Ro!"  
  
Vivian smiled and started for the stairs. What a strange place Peter lived in, she thought as she glanced at the paintings in passing.  
  
Everyone was so casual about first names here! Vivian was, too, of course... but she'd only ever had one. That name had come to represent so much where she came from that she had never needed another to set her apart or tell her history. But here, she was just another Walter Girl, someone who was known by one name because she felt like it, not because people heard that name and nodded and knew who she was, what she could do, and in some cases, that they should be afraid.  
  
She was finding it very soothing. She'd only been a teenager when her father had found favor with Morpheus and secured his help in persuading the Fates to challenge Death to a very important poker game. The world had been in turmoil and her father... she couldn't even recall his name anymore... had feared for his only child. But in preserving her life, he had set her on a path that had led her away from living her own life...  
  
It was time for that to stop. She understood now. Her office was now fulfilled, the good service in helping her people past the years of struggle. Rainier had rallied the scattered people, order was returning at last, and Vivian, the Old Woman, the nameless witch in the forest, had this chance to become a woman and live her life. If Peter never realized who she was, then she would remain here, beside him, until he married another or passed away... and then she would go. Not home. Out. She had lived long enough. She was content.  
  
Or so she told herself... because when it came down to it, when she was honest with herself... she would much rather live her life with him than end it without him.  
  
Vivian realized she'd been standing at the top of the stairs for several minutes. She shook her head, turned left, and started checking rooms. David was right; it was easy. She found him two-thirds of the way down the row of open doorways, fast asleep.  
  
She set the tray on the desk and wondered whether she should wake him. His mask was untied... it was slipping sideways. Vivian peeked around the wood and saw a thin gleam of blue.  
  
She moved closer. Five had said that Peter could touch his own face... and Peter had said it was because he was saturated with magic... or Blue Matter, as they called it.  
  
Vivian was practically made of it. So surely...  
  
She gently eased the mask away slightly and gasped silently. His precious, foolish face, gone! Sometimes she thought she could see the hint of an outline of a face, but that was all. It was a tragedy! He'd told her it was so, but she hadn't really accepted it until this moment.  
  
She hastily wiped the tears that had started and took a deep breath. There was something she needed to know. They had said that Peter could touch his own face.  
  
Could she?  
  
She reached for the shimmering blue surface, hesitated for a moment, and lightly pressed a finger where his cheek should be. Her finger encountered a soft, springy, slightly stubbly surface. She gasped and pulled her hand away.  
  
He didn't appear to have woken, but how could she tell? She listened... his breaths remained soft and even.  
  
She reached once more, this time gently pressing her whole hand to his cheek, ignoring the well-worn inner voice that told her she was being foolish, that he would surely wake... She felt it... cheek, cheekbone, the tickle of eyelashes. She carefully moved her hand and found his lips. They twitched at her touch and she removed her hand hastily.  
  
He stirred and sat up, the askew mask falling to his lap. He scooped it up hastily and put it on.  
  
"Vivian! What..."  
  
"I-I brought your tray..."  
  
"Oh... Right. I'm so sorry you had to see that, I guess... yeah, I loosened the straps. I hope you weren't frightened..."  
  
"No... not at all," she said reassuringly.  
  
He fastened his mask and looked up at her. "Are you sure? You're acting pretty scared..."  
  
Her heart was certainly pounding, but not for the reason he thought. She said, "I guess I'm just a bit nervous, being in a new place... You go on ahead and eat now, cher..."  
  
"Cher?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I mean, Peter. Oh... but could I ask a personal question?"  
  
" _How_ personal?" he asked, and she felt a shiver up her spine at the sound in his voice. How personal did he want it to be?  
  
"How... how do you shave? You don't have whiskers..." Oops... "I mean, you don't, do you?"  
  
"No... just a little razor stubble. My face is preserved the way it was the day of the accident. It was evening so I needed a shave, but only a little." He chuckled. "Funny, no one's ever asked me that before. Seems like a logical question though..."  
  
And one that would have kept her awake... she already had enough to lose sleep over. "Interesting. Thank you."  
  
"Oh, no problem, feel free to ask any questions you happen to have. My door's always open. Well, I mean, they all are, almost... But don't hesitate, okay? Any time you need me... I'm here. I'm usually up all night anyway... I mean... Thank you for bringing me dinner. That was very kind."  
  
He certainly was a nervous man when he was at home... "You're welcome. I was glad to do it. Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight..."  
  
She hurried out and sat down at the top of the stairs to recover before returning to the kitchen.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter sat gazing at the open doorway. He'd come so close to saying something... to asking her. "Are you the woman of my dreams?" But he couldn't say a thing like that... it sounded like a weak pick-up line! And he still couldn't quite accept it. Dreams were the product of the unconscious mind, without substance.  
  
He could have sworn he felt something strike the back of his head.  
  
"Ow..." he muttered, rubbing his head. His phone rang.  
  
It was Michael. "Hey, I told Janelle I'd take her to the fair tomorrow. Matt got her calmed down but... I just want her to smile again, y'know?"  
  
"Yeah. I do," he replied a little sadly. "I was going to talk to the three of you later about that. So, okay, you want to go to the fair. Well, as it stands now, there's nothing to stop you... I'd suggest you double date with one of the techs just in case but other than that..."  
  
"That's the thing... I was just wondering if you wanted to go, too... I can take out a whole bunch of people, as it happens. Turns Guy and Tom bought tickets until they ran out of money... well, until I ran out of money, anyway."  
  
"What? Where'd you get money?" Peter asked, realizing guiltily that he'd never thought to give them a paycheck or at least some kind of allowance.  
  
"I had a hug booth. I actually made a wad of money at it..."  
  
"Well, you do give good hugs, but... There are only so many people here..."  
  
"The Walter Girls kept coming by throughout the day. I think they were just trying to be nice."  
  
He doubted it. He'd overheard them in the past giggling about Michael Reed hugs. "I don't really do public, Mike, you know that..."  
  
"Oh, I know, but... It's a great place to take a date."  
  
There was a note of amusement in his voice that made Peter want to throw the phone across the room. Here he was, thoroughly besotted with a woman he barely knew, and somehow everyone knew it except her. Unless she did and she wasn't interested... He felt a little sick. But then, he still hadn't eaten... Maybe that was why. Logical scientific explanations gave him comfort.  
  
He took the lid off of his tray. "I don't know what you heard, Mike, but..."  
  
"Heard? What is there to hear?"  
  
"People aren't... y'know... gossiping about... stuff?"  
  
"Always. But if you're talking about Vivian... I saw it myself."  
  
"When?" he asked, exasperated.  
  
"When she came in to give us your message. What did you do to her, Peter?"  
  
"Do to her?" he asked breathlessly.  
  
"She was talking about you like... Well, I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I could just see it, y'know?"  
  
"You sound like The Jon..."  
  
"She's really nice. You should talk to her. I really think she might be into you."  
  
Peter snorted. "Your nice new five senses are clouding your judgment. Look, I gotta eat."  
  
"Alright. But come with us tomorrow. She'll come too, lots of people will. Nice safe group."  
  
"Stop coaxing me!" Peter sighed. Vivian liked him? On the one hand, he was excited. On the other hand, he felt like a ten-year-old kid who just got passed a note... and Michael was dealing with some big changes now... Probably off his rocker. All the more reason not to let him go out unsupervised with Peter's new and very fleshy daughter...  
  
Better not take any chances. "Fine. I'll go to make sure you two behave."  
  
"Good enough! Because we're planning to."  
  
"Right."  
  
Peter clicked off his phone, his mind already running ahead to tomorrow. He slipped his mask off and ate his dinner without really noticing what was in it.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case it was too vague, the groan Peter hears after his vision and the smack in the back of the head after he dismisses dreams... that would be River. Real nice guy but he's got his dark side.


	135. Getting used to having skin, Carolina needs a cast - NinjaPastry

He was still quite confused, but wasn't showing it. She was braiding his curls while he sewed a dress for her and she was humming a song she picked up from Matt's group a while back. Bunny and Matt left the cousins in AJ's room, Janelle insisting upon leaving her alone. AJ could handle her, somewhat.  
  
Janelle, a soft red cheeked face and deep green eyes smiled to herself, the feeling of the silky strands of AJ's hair between her fingers. She could actually feel the pressure of her weight upon her bum within his hammock, feeling the three tubes tucked under her and the one under her thighs, feeling the different waves of the tube press into her skin. She could feel how comfortably warm it felt in the room, the way it felt as if a small fire was in the corner of the room while it was cold afternoon.  
  
AJ was stuck on the floor, threading a needle through the fabric of a dress that Michael ripped (on accident he swears). At least his database provided basic plans for how to sew a tear in silk. The only thing he could feel was the tug at the back of his head every time Janelle tightened a row.  
  
There was an odd but comforting silence to the room, the soft and slow humming and the slight scratching sound of AJ's hair against itself. No clocks were ticking, no parents were fighting, no body was playing an instrument of any kind. Just two kids in a room with nothing better to do but braid and sew. It was so girly in the room, Leo would be able to join and play Lady Gaga without decline.  
  
AJ pressed a finger and thumb together with the silk between and poked the needle through, striking himself instead. He paid no attention and kept going, Janelle just glancing over his shoulder at his handy work.  
  
"Matt said I knew how to sew when I was little, but I guess it rotted away with the rest of me," was all Janelle said. AJ looked up from his work and at the brick wall. He shrugged and looked back down as she tied off a row. She patted the top of his head and kicked him in the side. He laughed and looked back at her, turning around on his bum, legs crossed and a kit in his lap.  
  
"Well your butch didn't," AJ joked. She rolled her eyes and flopped down in the hammock, AJ pressing on the side to make her swing. She looked up at the tubes, AJ finishing up and holding out the dress. A simple black dress with red hemming and a few sewn in red laces for her battery. He stood up.  
  
"Try this," he said. She sat up and got out of his hammock. He shut his eyes and turned away while she changed her dresses and tapped on his shoulder. "You're not going to say much, are ye?" he asked, looking at her finally. "Beautiful."  
  
He watched her face go from the weak smile to the blank, even dark look upon her face. Using his reaper sight, he noticed the dark orbs, like his father's Cobble, float around her. It disturbed him, but eh couldn't do much about it other than laugh it off and hug her. She jumped and hugged him back, not noticing him grab the orbs and shove them in his mouth.  
  
He let go and shivered, putting a hand over his mouth and shoving the orbs into his pocket. Thankfully she couldn't see them. "It's weird huggin' a fleshie," he cringed. She glared at him and made him smile. "I'm only puller atchyer leg, Jenny."  
  
She smiled sweetly, but still weakly. She picked up her previous dress and shirt, looking over at him. She nodded; the blank, sad, face returned. He walked to the door and opened it for her, waving to her as she left without another word. She returned herself to her own room, Michael in bed turned away from the door once she opened it.  
  
The glow of the tubes leading from the sides of his temple that crisscrossed at the back of his neck and ran down front to his chest made the room glow a soft, fading in and out blue. She stepped in slowly, tearing up at the sight. So close, yet so far. She shut the door quietly behind her and undid the lace, then the straps, and let her dress fall tot eh floor. She looked down, taking off her bra, and grabbing a shirt from the closet.  
  
She slipped it on and slid into bed, wrapping her arm around Michael's side, her hand coming in contact with a blue matter tube that ran in and out of his arm like the lochness monster. Her hand recoiled. It was cold. Michael turned his head and looked to her, smiling.  
  
"Hey, baby," he said with a scratchy voice that made her jaw drop. Goodness that was sexy... "Where've you been?"  
  
She said nothing, making him let out a sigh and turn to face her, pulling her close by her waist. she put her hands to his chest and her hand brushed against his core, making him gasp. He put his hand to hers and held her hand there, Janelle looking to him strangely.  
  
"Wow you feel nice," he laughed. "Please don't stop," he sorta whimpered. She finally realized and smiled, leaning in and kissing him. He kissed back, rolling over to pull her atop him. She sat upon his waist and pressed her hands around his core, making him loose it. Then she felt something. They looked at each other, wide eyed, and Michael smiled. "No way," he said, lifting her off. He looked and laughed, doing a silent "woo-hoo!" before pushing her down and kissing her.  
  
=  
  
"I promise I will not leave you tonight," Leo smiled. He turned the wheel of her car into the driveway of the nearest E.R. and parked. She nodded and got out of the car, walking in with Leo. His arm wrapped around her waist as he rushed them in and sat her down in the waiting room. The news was on, nothing fancy. Some kid blew up a gas station bathroom, a bus hit a car on the highway but no one got hurt, the weather... bore to the ing.  
  
It was freezing in the hospital. Carolina at least brought a jacket, Leo 1's airforce jacket he let her borrow, but it was still very cold. Leo was chilled, but he was used to the cold in any building. Most of them were churches for wakes and funerals and raining days and things like that he'd get back in St. Louis.  
  
"Cher," he called. She stood and looked at him, her jeans torn and her tank top slim, he smiled briefly and looked to her hand. Then his rage for AJ returned. "He needs to know your insurance."  
  
"I'm on Walter," she replied, sitting back down. Leo nodded and pulled the card from his wallet, handing it to the man.  
  
"Zhe does not like to talk wiz ze doctars," Leo explained. "Zhe is, what you call, unsociable." The doctor nodded, looking at Leo strangely. Leo was wearing his outfit from before, a regular formal for a military colonel to be wearing, and then nodded again.  
  
Carolina kept her eyes to the television. Some blonde lady with her face stretched back started talking about the plane that went missing and all Carolina could do was giggle. How funny that was, and how stupid. It took so long to find one plane. Not to mention it was huge, and had some sort of tracker on it, as Leo had explained before his aging.  
  
She looked back to Leo as he stood from the little chair he barely fit in and smiled sweetly at her. She walked over to him, scuffing the heels of her Vans on the floor. He led her to a little room and she sat upon the bed. Leo helped her take off his grandfather's jacket, then left the room.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked.  
  
Leo turned around, looked to the goosebumps upon her arms, and smiled. "I'm going to get some warm blankets for you. You're as cold as ice."  
  
She nodded and he turned the corner, closing the sliding door behind him. Carolina rested her head against the bed and let out a huff from her puffed cheeks, looking over to the monitors. A nurse came in, her eyes drawn tightly to the sheet.  
  
"Miss Proxy," she said, "It's nice to meet you. My name is-" she stopped her talking once she picked up her head and saw who it was. "Lisa Bagans..."  
  
"Lisa?" Carolina asked. They laughed and Lisa grabbed the pulse monitor. She put it upon her finger and turned on the monitors, then started typing.  
  
"Is Leo doing alright?" Lisa asked. Carolina hesitated to answer, then the door opened. Lisa turned around to look and gasped, taken aback by Leo's massive size. Leo held up the blankets and walked to Carolina, wrapping one around her legs for her and kissing her temple before taking his seat beside her bed.  
  
"Madame," he smiled. She waved and laughed.  
  
"Dear Lord what have you been eating?"  
  
"Souls," he said truthfully. She laughed, thinking it was a joke.  
  
"Whatever it is, some serious science must've been done by that guy with a mask." Leo nodded, reaching out his hand to Carolina. She met his with her better hand, the cord being dragged across her lap. They snickered and Leo kissed at her fingers.  
  
"I see it all worked out in the end," Lisa said before taking information. Leo and Carolina kept looking to each other and smiling making sure they were still alright. Lisa left after a while and a doctor finally came in.  
  
"Hello, Miss Proxy, Mr. Kinglser," he smiled. "I'm Dr. Kidd. Could you tell me what happened?"  
  
Carolina sighed. "I punch a wall," she sighed. Leo nodded. "Actually, i was a metallic face, but it broke, so, I'm here."  
  
"What did the person with the metallic face say or do to you?"  
  
"He blew dust in my face that made me start to fall in love with him and then smacked my butt," she huffed. Leo looked to the floor, trying to hold in his anger. Carolina gripped his hand tighter in effort to get him to calm himself.  
  
"No worries, then. We'll get a cast on you and send you on your merry way. Pain killers?"  
  
"I'm a working lady. No thank you." Dr. Kidd laughed and Carolina picked out a light blue colour for her cast, then fell asleep in the car on the way home.  
  



	136. Flying with the Negretes, Science projects with The Spine, Peter's dream - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I took a liking to AJ. He does some stupid things but I understand that kind of teenager. I have a couple myself and I used to be one. So I figured he should have a positive role model. Someone who doesn't decide he's a bad seed and reject him just because he's a bit on the rough side as diamonds go. People may think they're doing the right thing acting that way when they think a kid has gone too far, but there are some who will figure they deserve it because it's happening again... and never try to fix things. I guess AJ, in my chapters, is a stand in for a lot of "stupid" smart kids who never found acceptance and a safe place to learn to be less stupid.

"Psst! AJ!"  
  
Lil Steve trotted up, followed by Steve Negrete, who was carrying an improbably large harness and saddle, and Carol, who was wearing jeans, at least three cardigans, and a pair of her husband's leather boots.  
  
"Ready for your flight?" Steve asked briskly.  
  
"Oh... but... aren't you... y'know... honeymooning?"  
  
Steve laughed. "We're leaving for that after the fair tomorrow. Carol's never been to an American fair. Guess it's a novelty for her."  
  
"For me, too..." AJ said. "I should ask my mum..."  
  
"Already done. Come on!"  
  
Hatchet looked out of the next room and waved. "Go on, love. Steve won't get another chance to take you out for a few weeks."  
  
AJ tried to act calm but he was almost dancing with excitement. "Alright," he said blandly, following them out.  
  
It turned out he had to earn his flight, though... Steve couldn't get into the harness alone and Carol and Lil Steve weren't much help. That left a sturdy young robot doing that part of the work. Fortunately, none of them was troubled by the sight of Steve stripping down to transform. AJ was simply bemused with the human version of parts he had himself and Lil Steve and Carol had both seen the show before.  
  
Once he was changed and harnessed, they climbed aboard. AJ secretly wriggled with delight at the sight of the tiny seat that was just right for Lil Steve... it was thoroughly adorable. Carol sat behind AJ. Once she assured Steve they were all harnessed securely, Steve launched into the air.  
  
With ten seconds, AJ wanted more than anything to be a dragon. It was amazing... a high he hadn't believed existed. He could see clearly in the dark, unlike Carol. The heights didn't bother him at all. The wind in his face didn't sting; it was exhilarating! This must be what it felt like to be alive...  
  
Steve arced out over the ocean and started to fly low.  
  
"Don't you dare, Steven!" shouted Carol. "That bloody ocean will be ice cold this time of night!"  
  
AJ laughed as Steve flapped higher, pivoted, and headed back to land. Then, suddenly, he dropped and landed on the beach, scurrying into the shelter of an overhanging cliff.  
  
"What is it?" she cried, but then they heard it... a helicopter. It was circling over the nearby roadways.  
  
"Bloody He!!," she muttered. "Oh, sorry, darling. Do us a favor and don't tell your mummy I was coarse..."  
  
AJ snickered. "So what now?"  
  
"I should have brought his clothing... If they don't go away, we can't get back with him starkers!"  
  
They waited until the sound faded away. Steve crept out from under the cliff and carefully lifted into the air. The helicopter was a fair distance away now... still hovering. He flapped higher and sped straight for home.  
  
"See?" Steve said as he hopped back into his shorts. "Even at night it's risky. So, what did you think?"  
  
AJ grinned. "You're so lucky! I wish I could fly..."  
  
"I'll take you whenever I get the chance, okay? You don't weigh much... I was surprised."  
  
"Oh, yeah, well..."  
  
"Better head on in, okay, kid?"  
  
AJ would have been indignant if anyone else had called him a kid. But with Steve, he just felt honored to have been noticed. Then, to his surprise, Steve caught him up in a crushing hug. As he dropped him onto his feet, he said, "You're a great kid, y'know that?"  
  
"I am?" he breathed.  
  
"Sure! I mean, you're a punk, but you remind me of myself at your age. Well, less scaly..."  
  
He and Carol chuckled and headed inside. AJ strolled in after them, smiling in spite of himself and wondering what it would take to get an upgrade, specifically to something with wings.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter was wide awake. He'd been carefully nonchalant while talking to Mike, but he was anything but calm. But though his nervousness piqued him, but he wasn't going to let it slow him down...  
  
He lifted his work with tongs and plunged it into water. Steam filled the room. He wiped it with a soft cloth and put it onto a table. It was gleaming cool silver now... a cylinder that opened into two halves, each with a small bowl shaped indentation. He dropped a dark blue ball into it and carefully applied a spark, increasing the charge slowly until the ball flickered like a sparkler and began to glow.  
  
Peter snapped it shut and saw the glow through the tiny opening. He needed to test it away from other sources of Blue Matter. Such as himself.  
  
He went looking for someone to assist him. Bunny went to bed early whenever possible, and she'd been pretty stressed today. He passed the tv room and found David teaching Gabi more about kissing. He tiptoed past hastily. Carolina and Leo were in their room with the door locked. He supposed they weren't likely to be doing anything snuggly after her injury but he still couldn't see interrupting their rest.  
  
Who else could do this? There were usually workers around this time of evening, but where were they all? It was eleven o'clock... But it needed to be done by tomorrow. Tomorrow, after a quick trip to the store for the items Vivian needed, they would be going to the fair. And Vivian needed a powerful, self-sustaining source of Blue Matter for both outings. Of course, Peter himself was a powerful, self-sustaining source... but he hadn't been enough to stop her from fainting so he supposed he wouldn't be enough at the fair, even if he kept his face very, very close to her body...  
  
He shook his head to clear the moment of dizziness that came from thinking about her body... and turned to see The Spine looking at him from his doorway.  
  
"Is something wrong, Peter?" he asked, sounding much the same as he had in the past.  
  
"No... I needed help with something. See you later."  
  
"Wait... why can't I help?"  
  
Peter hesitated. "Well... you have a family now, and a new... job, and you're just... I don't know. Do you still help with science experiments? I'll be honest, I'm just not sure how to see you anymore."  
  
"Of course I can help! I was helping with science since before your grandfather was born!"  
  
"Alright, alright! Don't go rogue robot on me. But I need someone who is free from Blue Matter, so..."  
  
The Spine looked down and sighed. "Well, I am... more or less... now."  
  
"I guess you are... I'm sorry. Would you mind helping, Spine?"  
  
The Spine looked up and smiled. "I'd love to."  
  
When they got outside, Peter said, "Alright... I need to see whether this will give off a certain amount of Blue Matter radiation toward a reasonably attractive source. I can't test it on the subject in question because the risk would be too great..."  
  
He paused, momentarily stopped by how much that scared him. Maybe it was too risky. If she was at the store and fainted from lack of Blue Matter, would he be able to get her home in time? How much did she need, really?  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"It needs to create a LOT of Blue Matter," he continued breathlessly. "So here." He handed him a small device, a miniature robot with its core removed. "Just hold the pendant near it and see how much it attracts. I've designed the robot to require almost as much power as... as you used to. If this is enough to get a response from it, it should be enough to keep her... I really hope it's enough..."  
  
"Miss Vivian?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The Spine nodded and stepped out into the darkness. Peter was disturbed at the way he was able to easily melt into it and vanish. There should be lights where his eyes are... it just isn't right...  
  
But despite the many changes, The Spine was still a veteran scientist in his own right, having assisted Col. Walter himself for years. He easily powered up the little robot, which softly clicked and whirred in his hands. Peter could see The Spine smiling in the soft blue glow as it began to gently work its little legs.  
  
"What is it, Peter?" he murmured.  
  
"Oh, it isn't really sentient... not advanced, at least. It knows it needs water, oil, and Blue Matter to function so it's designed to try and obtain them when it becomes low, by emitting certain signals until someone responds and helps it. You see it's too little to get any itself. Also, it does have a rudimentary intellect... programmable through voice commands."  
  
"Like a dog..."  
  
"I... suppose. It's independent, though. More like a cat. Only more trainable."  
  
"You can train a cat. Wanda had one years ago she taught all sorts of tricks." He was beaming still, as the little robot turned its sensors this way and that and trilled softly. "It's... cute."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"It's like a kitten..."  
  
"Oh, boy. Here, better detach it from the power source. It's low on water, that's why it's trilling..."  
  
The Spine pulled it away as Peter reached for it. "But you will put in water and a power source, right? After this?"  
  
"Oh, come on..."  
  
"Please? I'll take care of it, if you want..."  
  
"I can't believe this." Peter smiled in spite of himself. He remembered now, Carolina pointing out that The Spine was a sucker for a kitten... It was strangely comforting to know he still possessed his core characteristics after all that had happened to him.  
  
"Or even better... AJ needs a pet. Something he can't accidentally kill that can teach him to be a little more responsible. I'll make sure he treats it right but he'll have the responsibility. After what happened today..."  
  
"I thought you didn't know..." Peter murmured. "Leo told AJ he wouldn't tell you."  
  
"He didn't. AJ did. I... was surprised."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Right after dinner. He still hasn't apologized to her, though... she went straight to the hospital and she was asleep when she got back. Leo said she refused painkillers and he used his own influence to at least make her sleep. You should probably try to convince her to take something tomorrow, by the way..."  
  
"Convince Carolina? If Leo can't, I doubt I can." He looked at the little robot. It turned its sensor array toward him and made a plaintive little sound. "Good glory, it is cute... Alright, switch it off for now and I'll complete its programming and make it a little more durable before he gets it, okay? Crap, I hope this doesn't make Janelle want one, too. I'm not Geppetto for crying out loud."  
  
The Spine returned the pendant but continued to carry the "cat" and Peter examined the mini core. It was humming softly and showed no traces of depletion.  
  
"Good. Self-sustaining..." he said with relief. Even if she lost consciousness, it should be enough...  
  
"You're worried about her."  
  
"Of course I am, Spine! I'm... I'm responsible for everyone in the manor."  
  
"Right..." He sounded as if he wanted to say more.  
  
"Did you notice, too?" Peter asked quietly as they walked inside.  
  
"Notice what?"  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Thanks for your help."  
  
"It was nice to be able to help. Just like old times."  
  
"Except that back then you didn't have a son who needed a pet," Peter said, taking the little robot. "I had no concrete plans for the thing anyway, though. It's fine. I think it's a good idea." It certainly wasn't the worst thing that had happened since The Spine became a family man.  
  
\----------  
  
The Spine returned to his room in time to see Hatchet getting ready for the morning assignment. He snapped his fingers and was ready for his own.  
  
"Where were you, love?" she asked, kissing him.  
  
"Helping Peter. He's making a portable core for Vivian so that she can go out."  
  
"Oh, that's clever. He always was clever. But you're helping him with something for Vivian? Should you be doing that?"  
  
"I'm not interfering..."  
  
"But you're helping."  
  
"Not on Grimm's orders. I'm doing the same household things I always did." He grinned as he held her close. "The idiot doesn't even realize what hit him... I mean, he knows something's different, but he just doesn't seem to know what to do with it."  
  
"I hope he figures it out. It's lovely once you do," she sighed, wriggling closer.  
  
The clock struck twelve and with one sigh they parted and vanished.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter at last went to bed. Actually, for him it was early, but he was tired... and curious. Would he dream of the woman tonight? Would she be like Vivian, or would he find out she changed the way dreams did?  
  
It took him a while to get to sleep. When he did, the dreams he had were vague, nonsensical; the usual sort... until somewhere near morning, when he realized he was in the clearing... Yes, there was the little house in the woods. He hurried inside.  
  
No one. He could remember now. He knew... and she wasn't here. He sat on her favorite chair, miserable.  
  
"Why don't I believe?" he whispered unhappily.  
  
"Cher!" came her voice.  
  
She ran inside, wearing her gardening things. He stood in time to catch her as she ran straight into his arms. For several minutes, neither was able to speak. She kissed him and broke down, sobbing into his chest. He felt terrible... what she must be enduring, watching him acting like an idiot...  
  
"I'm sorry..." he whispered thickly. "I'm a scientist... I... I do remember you, sweet Vivian, but... I keep convincing myself that I'm imagining things!"  
  
She started laughing and he jumped.  
  
"This is de strangest love affair," she sighed. "Mon cher... I can touch your face. There, that face you done lost. I found out when you were sleeping earlier."  
  
"That's impossible," he said. "The Walter workers have sometimes touched the Blue Matter, with gloves, for experiments in trying to get rid of the vortex. There's nothing there to anyone but me."  
  
"And me. I promise. I felt..."  
  
"Stubble!" he cried suddenly, excited. "You felt it, didn't you? I remember now, you asked about it... You said I didn't have whiskers..." He laughed. "That's cute... you call them whiskers..."  
  
"That's what they are!"  
  
"Right."  
  
She kissed him again. It was wonderful... to think she might be able to do that in his world, too!  
  
"I have to go, my love..." she said a moment later.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Miss Bunny is waking the others. I can hear her... I haven't slept well anyway..."  
  
"Vivian! Come straight to my room, wake me! I'll have to believe then..."  
  
"I can't! You need to understand it yourself. You need to believe it in your world. You understand, baby? You need to love me as I am there, not just a dream. I need you to love me the way I love you..."  
  
She faded.  
  
He stood, empty, staring out the open door.  
  
"But I do, even there..." he sighed as he slipped back into consciousness. "I love you..."  
  



	137. Morning, Hatchet sees terrible things... you never really get used to it, the Walters step in to bring other robots out of harm's way - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Warning: I'm going to hit a very close to home subject. I really need to vent and my mom would be pished is I posted it on facebook, so I'm venting here. I'm very shaken by it, and my sisters are, too. The eldest of us five lived there nearly her whole life and is just sitting back watching her home town be torn apart before her. The scariest part is that my little brother and sister, portrayed in the fics as Paul and Lizzie, are three blocks away from everything, as well as my mom and step-dad. My dad works a few towns away, but even the customers who go into his Petsmart are scared and one asked him today what would happen if anyone came in there, and he replied, "Then you get the he!! out."
> 
> Hatchet, the closest character I have to me, is who I chose to vent with because of what's going on and it's really hard for me to express my feelings of this otherwise, so I'm just going to go with it. Knowing readers live in different areas and one goes to school with me, this is kinda a behind-the-scenes of what's going on in my life. Just, please, if you pray, pray that everything goes well in Ferguson, Missouri. I don't pray, but I just want everyone to find peace and what's happening isn't at all peace.
> 
> I got the chance to call my mom yesterday and she reported back that she and the kids are safe, giving me such a relief. Just letting you know, so... Thank you, and have a nice day.))
> 
> \-- NinjaPastry, at time of original posting, August 13 2014

"Admin, time for school!" Matt yelled at his door, bashing on it. AJ opened it, his curls a mess and his face groggy with stasis. Matt snickered and played with his own blonde hair and shook his head. "School. Look nice. No killing people today."  
  
"Whu-evah," he snarled, slamming the door. Matt sighed and walked over to Mike and Jingle's room, knocking on the door. He heard something, like Janelle whimpering, maybe crying, and knocked again.  
  
"Not decent," Janelle cried out. Matt screamed and slowly dipped back into his own room, shaking his head and letting out anther scream. Just the thought of... ew... Like, seeing her as a toddler running around the bathroom neked when he was trying to brush his teeth was cute, but in the morning with the guy he liked the most out of all the manor... just- barrrrf.  
  
He sighed and headed out of his room, bolting down the little staircase and to the lift, jumping with excitement. Breakfast. His stomach churned and he nearly fell to his knees, so not used to it, and laughed. He then ran to the kitchen where Ro was sitting, eating cereal and reading a book. Matt slid to the fridge and opened it, taking a huge whiff. He even shut his eyes all dramatically and smiled afterward, looking around the delicious food.  
  
"Matt?" Ro asked, mouth full of Frosted Flakes. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I," he started, fishing out a packet of shredded cheese and guacamole, "am going to make me some breakfast. I'm starved."  
  
"But you and Mike ate so much last night."  
  
"Ro, I've been dead for a month and a half. Let a dead man eat, kay?" He looked at her with pleading eyes and she sighed, shaking her head.  
  
"Make it quick I have to run breakfast in a few minutes."  
  
"Not a problem," he laughed, beginning his feast.  
  
=  
  
Hatchet stared at the pavement. Her jaw was dropped, oil dripping from her eyes. She's seen it many times, a kid from a shi++y neighborhood shot dead in the street. Some white, some black, some asian, some latino. But, for some reason, she felt a shake in her deadly core of this one. Nothing was in her hands, other than her wedding ring. Her hood was up and her watch was ticking away, slowly. Painfully. She looked back to him. He kinda sat there, looking at himself.  
  
"Mike," Hatchet whispered. "Mike," she said aloud this time. He looked up at her and stood, wiping off his hands and his butt, then walked away from himself and stood next to her floating self.  
  
"Woah," he huffed. They looked to each other and Hatchet held out her hand. He took it, teary eyed, then looked to the people around him, the cops, and the passerbys of the street. Funny, he was burning up a few seconds ago in the Missouri humidity and heat, despite the incoming storms. Now he was cold, chilled. And Hatchet's hand was like ice, but it felt nice. He was still sweating.  
  
Hatchet put her face into her elbow and sobbed, Mike looking to her strangely. "What's wrong, lady? Why you cryin'?"  
  
"So many people love you and now you're gone!" she yelled. "The disruption that's about to happen is going to be written in history books for years to come. Boy, you've gotten this town to listen, and now it's talking back."  
  
"But all I-"  
  
"I know, but now you're holding my hand, cold, staring at your own dead body. Tell me now you didn't mean to. I dare you."  
  
His brown eyes locked with her teal and he scoffed. "I didn't mean to!" he yelled. He looked back to the body. "I..."  
  
"Let's go. I have a nice warm place for you to stay, alright?" Hatchet asked, wiping her tears. He nodded and he dissipated from her side, making her cry again. She could feel his hand still in hers and saw the people running up, making her cry more. Time stood still, making her panic. No, not again. She fell to the ground and looked up, seeing a man look to his son sadly, his brow dripping with sweat as his wife and two other children pulled up weeds in little garden beds. She shoved her hood over her face and noticed how little the kids were. Paul and Lizzie? They looked just like them if they weren't so pale and had brown and not black hair.  
  
"But, dad," the boy started, "what are protesters doing?"  
  
The man opened a new Home Depot bag and held it open for the older of the three, a teenager, to place the larger weeds into the bag. "Well, protesters go and stand their ground for what they want."  
  
"They are saying they want something that the mayor or the police or someone else is keeping from them or doing something that they shouldn't," the teen answered. She pushed up her glasses and wriggled her Steve Negrete bracelet on her wrist out from under her glove. Hatchet gasped.  
  
"So, what do they want now?" the little girl asked, peeling a dead onion. The mom sighed, brushing her hands on her shorts.  
  
"Justice. We think that a white cop shot him, a race thing, and they want justice for it," she answered, looking to her husband. He nodded his head and wiped his brow with his forearm.  
  
"We'll go down there and see what's going on," the dad said to them. "Then you'll be able to say that you've seen history be made at such young ages."  
  
"What if a fight breaks out?" the boy asked.  
  
"That's called a riot," the teen sighed, her breath shaky, "and if that happens, we leave immediately." The dad gave her a look.  
  
Hatchet looked to the end of the little playground of the elementary school. a car sped down the street, blaring it's horn. The kids all looked up and the teen was first to ask, "Why would someone do that?"  
  
"In a time like this, it's everyone for themselves," the mom answered. Hatchet shut her eyes, pleading to Grimm not to make her see what was next.she opened her eyes, face-to-face with flames. She teleported from the burning QuikTrip to see men and women shouting in the street with triumph. She screamed and ran, finding herself before three stores: Sprint, Boostmobile, and Criket. The store with $500 iPhones left untouched of the three. What?  
  
"It's a race thing," T0mmy smiled. Hatchet shrieked and cried out, falling onto the pavement in the high noon, unable to stop her fearful crying. "Funny thing is, they won't release if the cop was white or black until tomorrow," he snickered watching the looters jump off. T0mmy looked down at her, his chin and hands propped up on the top of his chainsaw, his feet crossed, as if he were sitting. "Like the upgrade?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah," he smiled, standing above the pavement and admiring his chainsaw. "It's blood-powered and scream activated. I call it the T0rnad0. How ironic, because this town was ripped apart by tornadoes a few, twice, before. That Little Ceasers down the street? Destroyed. Everything got put back together again, except..."  
  
"Thomas, don't.."  
  
Tomahawk walked over to a cop, finding himself and the clone within a Walmart, a few hours before the raids. Hatchet stared at him, his hand hovering over a cop's shoulder. Blam blam blam! Hatchet screamed and fell to her knees, turning to see barrels of hand guns aimed right at T0mmy and herself.  
  
She shut her eyes and screamed, hearing the voices around her. "Shut down all the schools," one said. "My grandbaby!" another shrieked, and one, a chilling one, one that sounded all too familiar, "I told Cheska, my home is literally falling apart and I can't do anything about it." It sounded like A.M., Carissa's older automaton sister of the Renix family.  
  
"Hatchet!" Peter yelled, shaking her shoulders violently. She screamed once she opened her eyes, grabbing onto him and looking around. Spine? No where. AJ? School. Just Peter and Rabbit.  
  
"Hatter," Rabbit said cautiously, Where did you go?"  
  
"Modern day Missouri, a hometown I lived in for years..."  
  
"Was it someone you knew?" Peter asked, letting go of her. She did the same in return. She looked around her area. The old wing no one went into. Her closet.  
  
"More like the whole city..."  
  
Rabbit sat upon her cot with her and wrapped her arms around her, Hatchet slowly but surely wrapping her arms around the eldest. Soon enough she found herself sobbing onto Rabbit's shoulder, shaking and falling apart in her arms.  
  
"I'll call Lynn, make sure the kids are okay," Peter offered. He could see how shaken she was, took a final breath, then left.  
  
=  
  
"Peter?" Leo asked, peeking into his office. Peter was scrolling his finger down the page of a notebook, frantically looking for a number.  
  
"Leo, I need you to find a name in my numbers for me. Renix, R-e-n-i-x, Panere. Got that?"  
  
"Oui," Leo said, grabbing his number folder and sitting down across the desk. They searched for a while, Peter feeling his stomach knot. He hated the kid with all his beating heart, but she was kind and put a shield over them. He'd at least do this one nice thing for her.  
  
"Got it," Leo said, Peter instantly picking up his phone. "555-555-5223," Leo said, looking up to Peter. He put the notebook down and his hand under his chin, tapping on his mask.  
  
"Hello? Yes, Miss Renix, my name is Peter Walter the Sixth of Walter Robotics. You housed my great-grandpappy's robot for a few years? Yes, Hatchet, the junk yard bot. Yes, well, she seems very worried about your children's welfare, as well as your own."  
  
Leo sat back and watched, Peter's arms twitching with every word he said. Why was he acting like this?  
  
"Yes, Lynn, I understand, the Cavlacadium warned us all. I send my condolences, Lynn. How are the kids, though? Yes, I'll tell her. Thank you. Talk to you soon," Peter said, hanging up the phone. Peter took a second, then rested his head into his hands.  
  
"What do I tell her?"  
  
"Mr. Panere isn't a victim of the riots, but he's... um... Yeah, they're all fine. They're fine. Just scared, okay? Tell her kindly about Mr. Panere. She'll be happier that way." Leo nodded and stood, walking out of the office.  
  
  
=  
  
"Beeper!" a woman yelled in the large house in the middle of a small street. From the kitchen with another automaton in a skinny white dress with thigh-high grey socks, red Chuck Taylors and her long, blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail, the creator sat, her phone from the charger deck still in her grasp.  
  
A young boy bot slid into the kitchen, putting a hand over his heart, a large yellow button. The woman shook her head and he dramatically threw his hand down and bent his knees, throwing his head back in a large sigh.  
  
The woman smiled and stood, fixing out her green and orange dress that hung at her shins in different pattered tears and sequined stitches. It started off as a white Walter dress, sort of, with purple buttons and red stitching, then bled to her own handiwork from the years of the bots tearing at her.  
  
"Where is your sister?"  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"Paint," the woman replied. Beeper looked to the bot at the stove and shrugged. "Did you check the attic, maybe?"  
  
"She wasn't up there last saw her, and I've been sitting on the stairs playing with my giraffe."  
  
"Where's Princess?"  
  
"Drawing."  
  
"A.M.?"  
  
"Asleep."  
  
The woman looked to the bot at the stove. J.E.N., or Jeneral Electric Necessity, shrugged.  
  
"Maybe she's in the basement."  
  
"Or back in Asininia," Beeper offered. The woman sighed.  
  
"Mr. Walter wants to know." Jen dropped her knife and picked it back up, having to unstab her own hand first. Her old Rabbit-face plate glimmered in oxidization and Beeper looked back to the woman.  
  
"You mean 5?" Beeper inquired, a grin appearing on his face. Jen rolled her blue and green eyes and smiled, continuing to cut the vegetables in the saucepan.  
  
"No, 6. The one who came over a few years ago and helped me with the Indigo Power you all run on now." The two nodded, looking to the woman with the black hair and brown eyes.  
  
"Lynn, um, A.M. wants to know if she can got to California and see her friends there."  
  
Lynn hesitated. She and Jen looked to the boy and Jen smiled. "Where is A.M., again?"  
  
"Sleeping in her room." Lynn nodded and sighed.  
  
"Beeper, Jenny, get A.M. and Princess to pack a few bags. We're going to the Walter Manor... I'm sure Hatchet would be much happier with us in a safer place than here... I'll get Paint. She'll listen to me."


	138. Blue Matter necklace, Bra shopping, Leo and Carolina giggling - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned how much I enjoy writing Bunny as a smart-a$$?

Peter hurried down the stairs once Leo was gone. He found Vivian with Bunny at breakfast.  
  
"Peter! Have you solved Vivian's problem?" Bunny asked.  
  
"Yeah..." he said, eyes on Vivian. She was still in the Walter Girl uniform, or back in it... but someone had braided her hair and wrapped it around her head like a halo. He suppose that would make it easier to try on... well, things. He swallowed, pulled up a chair and held the pendant out to Vivian.  
  
"I think this is what you need. It's self-sustaining so you won't run out like you did with the orbs."  
  
"How lovely..." she breathed, taking it. "This... has Blue Matter?"  
  
"It's hidden... don't want to attract too much attention to it. It's been tested. It does give off the radiation."  
  
"How do I..."  
  
"It should automatically respond to your attraction... I mean the attractiveness of your body... dang it..."  
  
Bunny snorted and clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from launching scrambled eggs across the table.  
  
"My need for the magic... I mean, the Blue Matter?" she prompted after scowling at Bunny briefly.  
  
"Yes, that..." he sighed wearily.  
  
"But... I meant, how do I put it on?"  
  
"Oh! Open the chain," he said.  
  
She frowned at it and began to fiddle with the catch.  
  
"You've never worn a chain like this, have you?" he asked.  
  
She shook her head. Peter took the chain and opened it, holding it out to her.  
  
"She needs someone to fasten it on, dummins," Bunny said casually.  
  
"Oh..." He put the chain around her neck and tried to fasten it behind her, below the coiled braids, but he couldn't see the loop now and his arms were around her and that just couldn't be ignored... Vivian closed her eyes and took a deep breath. That was odd...  
  
He leaned forward to look around her head at the catch, and felt her breath on his neck. A shiver ran down his spine but he managed to just hook the thing together. He let go of the chain and the pendant slipped down her neck a few inches and rolled slowly across her bust. He reluctantly leaned away. Her eyes were still closed.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.  
  
She opened her eyes and said, "I am. Thank you, Peter." She blinked twice and looked away quickly.  
  
Peter watched her for a moment and realized Bunny was staring at them. He glanced at her and hastily looked away from the little lopsided smile.  
  
"Well, you'd better hurry," he said, eyes on Vivian. "Mike wants to head out at eleven and he's only waiting that long so that you can do what you need to do. No Walter White today, okay?"  
  
"Alrighty," Bunny agreed. "Once Carissa gets down here..."  
  
Her hair looks so soft... He snapped alert and looked at Bunny again. "Carissa? Why do you need her to come along?"  
  
"Oh, she insisted after I mentioned what we were shopping for and why."  
  
"Oh, did she need to pick some stuff up too?"  
  
"Nope. But after I told her that, she insisted I needed company."  
  
He suddenly had a suspicion. Vivian got up to take her plate to the sink. He leaned toward Bunny and whispered, "You mean she thinks you..."  
  
"Have the hots for Vivian?" Bunny murmured almost inaudibly. "Yeah, she seems to think that..."  
  
"You don't, do you?"  
  
"No! She's easy on the eyes, but not really my type." Bunny smiled mischievously and winked. "And I'm definitely not hers."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Don't blow it, okay?" she added quickly, abruptly serious.  
  
"Blow what?" he asked innocently, feeling suddenly very attacked.  
  
"Don't talk yourself out of it," she whispered, standing. "Don't science yourself out of happiness. She's not my type but she's no ordinary woman. She knew what you wanted before you knew yourself yesterday. She's a natural with the robots. And she can barely keep her hands off you, and that's rare, I can promise you that..."  
  
"Hey..." he muttered, wounded. Then his heart gave one great painful thump and he said, "Wait, what?"  
  
"Ready to go?" Carissa asked airily, walking into the kitchen. Bunny kissed her on top of her head. "Yeah, I get it, I'm short. Well, compared to you..."  
  
Bunny put her dish into the sink and the three left, Vivian casting one lingering look at Peter as she walked out the door. He sat and stared at the spot long after she was gone. He'd naturally figured Michael Reed was just seeing love anywhere he looked... he tended to do that. But Bunny? She might be in a committed relationship herself but she didn't tend to be the sappy romantic type. If she said Vivian was interested...  
  
He was seriously wondering whether it really mattered if the dreams meant anything. Maybe there was a reason he felt like he'd known her for years, maybe they had somehow met before, maybe he had been with her when she did all those things... it was impossible, but the impossible was his business. His... new employee... had just walked out of the Manor wearing an impossible pendant!  
  
He wondered if he should have gone too, in case anything happened...  
  
But even if it was just his imagination, the scientific reality was that people sometimes experienced mutual attraction. And that was good enough for him.  
  
Except for the slight problem that he had no idea how to romance a woman.  
  
He got up and went to look for The Spine.  
  
\----------  
  
"You've never worn one? Omigosh, you are like, so perky, mine would hang down to my belly button without an underwire!"  
  
Vivian was mystified by the measuring lady... and the bra department... and the department store... and the mall... the car... the roads... Really, it had been one long shock. She'd been in a car, of course, but not with Bunny. Carissa had made many comments on the driving but Vivian had just clung to the strap they had put around her and said a quiet prayer to River or Nod or whoever might be listening.  
  
But now she stood, deeply uncomfortable, as a total stranger measured her with a ribbon and talked freely about her breasts. The good news was that the necklace Peter had given her was working. She could see it and hear it, a little stream of blue, a soft hissing sound. She didn't feel so much as a moment of light-headedness.  
  
She hastily pulled the top of her dress back on as the woman wrote some numbers on a little slip of paper and bustled out of the tiny room, only to return with a number of elaborate harnesses.  
  
"Well, strip off again, you have to try them on!"  
  
By the time Vivian had come out of the fitting room, she was almost ready to go back to her little house in the woods...  
  
Bunny and Carissa turned hastily and smiled as one.  
  
"Got one?" asked Bunny.  
  
"Yes..." Vivian sighed.  
  
"I know, right? I didn't really enjoy that part the first time, either..."  
  
Carissa raised her hand and nodded. "Ditto! And mine was when I was thirteen..."  
  
"Awkward..."  
  
Vivian smiled, oddly reassured. They moved on to find other items that were far less troublesome... blouses, skirts, pants... each with interventions from Carissa. Bunny chose revealing blouses, poofy skirts, tight jeans. Just like she wore herself. Carissa found blouses with buttons that went higher, skirts that drifted softly around the legs, pants that didn't bind in the... well, awkward places. Bunny pouted a little after being accused of treating Vivian like a life-size "Barbie" doll, whatever that meant.  
  
A couple of packets of some sorts of pantalettes were added (one set was a simple design and the other was all satin and lace, with Carissa admitting that a woman might need either depending on whether she was likely to be seen in them), along with stockings and soft and comfortable shoes... the one thing that Bunny didn't even try to make fancier. A Walter Worker needed comfortable shoes, and Vivian's "hippie sandals," as she put it, were not quite suitable for the uniform.  
  
They paid for it all with a small card with Peter's name on it, using household funds because she was in his employ. Vivian wondered that they thought she would need so much clothing. But she supposed it was just in case... until the other two hinted gently, on the drive home, that while she seemed very clean she might want a shower before going to the fair.  
  
"A what?" she asked.  
  
"I thought so," Bunny sighed. "Cultural differences. We bathe daily, Vivian..."  
  
"As do I!" she cried, affronted.  
  
"It's... it's the custom to wash your entire body with soap and water daily once you become an adult," Carissa said awkwardly. "And use deoderant."  
  
"Deoderant?"  
  
"It... um... helps with odors..."  
  
Vivian sank a little into her seat, mortified. Had she smelled bad all this time? She thought of herself as being so tidy... even excessively so, where she came from. But it had been a busy couple of days...  
  
"Yeah, sorry for the awkward," Bunny apologized. "I mean, you don't smell bad that I've noticed, but I realized you hadn't taken a shower so far so I thought..."  
  
"What? I don't... you aren't telling me because I'm... offensive?"  
  
"No! No, it's not that, I just realized you might not know! Oh, that's... I am so sorry..."  
  
"No... I understand. Very well. A shower. I'll need your help with that... I've never had one."  
  
"We'll ask Annie!" Carissa said firmly. "I'm sure she'd be glad to help."  
  
"Carissa..." Bunny groaned. "Give it a rest!"  
  
"That a problem?" Carissa said calmly.  
  
"No..." Bunny said through clenched teeth. "But you've got it all wrong."  
  
"Then it's even less of a problem, right?"  
  
"Sure. Fine. Whatever."  
  
Vivian smiled, confused.  
  
\----------  
  
"What's taking so long?" groaned Michael Reed, out at the van.  
  
"Annie is getting Vivian cleaned up. So why aren't Sam and Chelsea coming?" asked Carolina, settling into her seat carefully.  
  
"I asked," Michael answered, "but Sam said Chelsea couldn't take the crazy smells right now."  
  
"Hm... yeah. Too bad, he loves animals. That's so sweet though..."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So who got their tickets?"  
  
"Well, I asked Steve but he said he was springing for his, since he's just gonna drop us off and come later with Carol. So then I ran into The Spine talking with Peter... You won't believe what they were discussing..."  
  
"Michael? Is there room for everyone in here?" asked Peter, sticking his head in through a doorway.  
  
"Just barely, Casanova."  
  
"Shut up." Peter turned and walked away.  
  
"Casanova? What's been going on, Mike?"  
  
"Leo didn't tell you?"  
  
"No! I wonder why..."  
  
"Well, ask me later if he doesn't. I'll go get Janelle."  
  
Leo climbed into the van and sat beside her, handing her a bottle of water. "'ere, at least take some aspirin," he urged.  
  
"Alright," she said. Once she'd washed them down, she whispered, "Before the others get in, what's with Peter?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Mike called him Casanova!"  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"It's... 'ard, okay? I can't really talk about it."  
  
"Wait... it's not some kind of infection, is it?"  
  
"What?" he laughed. "No! It's just... 'e and Vivian..."  
  
"Shut up! Seriously? Oh, my gosh! Oh, that's... really weird!"  
  
He laughed again. "Oui. Very."  
  
They were giggling together, a welcome distraction from the pain in her hand, when the others arrived and started fussing over who sat where. In the end, things were arranged so that Peter was sitting beside Vivian, looking as confused and twitterpated as he could in a mask. Carolina longed for a good camera... Even Janelle seemed to be amused by it, though there was still a sadness in her eyes. The only time that sadness seemed to vanish was when Peter or Vivian turned to her and spoke.  
  
Carolina was amazed. "It's like they're her real parents," she whispered to Leo as Steve started the van. He looked at her with a little smile.  
  
"Oui," he sighed. "May zey be an improvement over ze old ones."  
  



	139. Getting to know the new OCs, awkward truths, The Spine advises Peter - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We got a little story overlap here, so you'll notice them loading up the van twice.

Beeper and Princess bolted up the staircase to their rooms as Miss Lynn headed towards the attic. She peeked into A.M.'s room, the many band posters lining the walls, and sighed. There she lay, stasis covered, and drooling onto the pillow.  
  
"A.M., awaken," Lynn called into the room. The bot snorted and picked her head up, green eyes darting around and placing themselves upon her.  
  
"Sup?" she asked, lifting a heavy arm to rub her eye. Lynn smiled and shook her head.  
  
"We're going to California to stay wit an inventor friend of mine."  
  
"Dude, you can't replace V like that."  
  
"I'm pretty sure V wouldn't mind me visiting a friend. Plus, he's got so much going on there, we should slip right past him and fit right in. In a house full of robots, I'm sure you five wouldn't be a problem."  
  
V. She hadn't heard him be referred to tat since they'd met. V was simply Mr. Panere's name. V for Ventra, his parents accidentally named him, despite wanting to name him Ventro. Common mistake, but he hated the name, so was called V. But Lynn was off put by the fact that A.M. called him that. They all called him Dad. He was, really. Well, Paint's dad, but the rest his made the blueprints for.  
  
A.M. sat up and swung her legs over the bed, running her fingers though her hair. "Who are we staying with?"  
  
"Mr. Walter and his son," Lynn replied, waiting for A.M. to glare. To Lynn's surprise, she did nothing of the sort, but continued to wake up. "Get a bag packed and we'll be on our way." A.M. held up a peace sign and grabbed a shirt, Lynn walking away after closing the door.  
  
Lynn continued down the hallway and up another staircase, knocking on a door at the end of the upstairs most room, Paint's. She waiting for a second or two, haring Beeper and Princess bicker about who gets to bring what stuffed animal downstairs. She began to hear fussing about in the attic and the door creaked open. Paint stared at her with her one blue eye.  
  
"Cassie, we're going to California to live with Mr. Walter and his son for a while." She saw blood drip down Paint's chin and sighed. "You can't keep crying, honey. Everything is going to be fine. I'm putting the manor on shut down, we're taking all of the extra Indigo Power, and leaving a light or two on. Beeper set up some pretty good traps."  
  
She stared at her still. Lynn pushed open the door and walked in, looking around the dark room. Empty. Some blood was pooled on the floor, probably from her crying. Maybe Peter could fix that problem...  
  
"I feel like I'm glued on tight to this carousel," a voice sang. Lynn turned to look at Paint, realizing it was from her.  
  
"Sweet heart, our home is under fire, but we have a safe place to go now. Let's get you packed, okay?"  
  
Paint nodded and flew out of the room, her jet pack glowing with a purple hue from where it was attached to her back. Lynn followed her out, careful to shut the door behind her. If there was one thing Lynn believed in, it was privacy. She watched Paint float about her room, opening the window to look down, seeing the Cavlacadium bus pull up.  
  
"I called to be sure they'd get us a portal to go through, knowing they won't let five automatons and a crazy woman upon a plane," Lynn joked. This made Paint smile, but then frown once she heard the police sirens. She quickly shut the window and covered her ears, pushing her hair from her face to show her gaping hole of a right eye, surrounded by muscle and bleeding gashes from crying.  
  
"You didn't take your medications, did you?" Lynn asked. Paint shook her head and Lynn grabbed the bottles, pouring the pills into her hands and handing her a glass of water. It was a common mistake for her to drown the pills, hoping to end it all, but Lynn got smart and put the exact amount of all of Paint's needed pills into a different bottle every day, just so she'd avoid nearly killing herself.  
  
Lynn stepped towards the door and smiled sweetly. "I'm sure Peter would be happy to help with you," she said before leaving, shutting the door behind her. Paint sighed and wiped her face and legs, even down her shirt which was now soaked in her own blood.  
  
She stripped of her shirt, going to the bathroom and looking at her collarbone in the mirror. Bone replaced with metal, muscle and Indigo Power tubing sewing the muscle to the "bone". It was disgusting, but it was something. It was better than being nothing but burned flesh and broken bones like how she was back in 2010.  
  
Paint shivered and grabbed a few gauze pads and an ACE wrap, fixing herself up. She did the same for her back left calf and her eye, making sure nothing was bleeding through and smiled. She went back to get a new shirt and a skirt, her black flats and started to pack her bag.  
  
=  
  
A laugh filled the room, Janelle still dazed and sleepy from earlier in the morning. Michael picked her up from off the bed and kissed her gently down her neck, setting her down atop the dresser.  
  
"We're going to the fair," Michael said, his hand running up her thigh. She smiled and nodded. "I'll get you some coffee and get you dressed and we'll be on our way. Alright?"  
  
Janelle grinned and leaned down, grabbing the back of Michael's head and kissing him passionately, the man returning to favor. Sam cleared his throat at the door, glaring at them. Janelle laughed and Michael quickly pecked her on the lips before pulling open the closet door, Sam shaking his head.  
  
"You two are gross," he said, then walked away. Michael grabbed a dress for Janelle and she hopped down, wrapping her arms around Michael's stomach from his back and resting her head on his shoulder, making him smile. He turned around and pushed her back, making her gasp as she fell onto the bed. He laughed playfully and leaned over her to kiss her, setting her dress beside her.  
  
"I'm going to get us coffee. Behave yourself," he said, leaving her there. She giggled and sat up, watching him walk away, shaking his booty as he walked away. He heard her laugh and kept walking, passing up Sam cleaning the floor.  
  
"She's too young, Michael," he said just as Michael stepped on the staircase.  
  
"No, she's not," he replied.  
  
"You're 27, she's 15."  
  
"Dead people I'm sure can have some fu-"  
  
"Michael, I'm serious. She's too young and inexperienced."  
  
"I think she's experienced enough for two lifetimes."  
  
"But she has no right to be with you at such a young age."  
  
"Sam?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shut the f- up." And with that Michael walked downstairs, leaving Sam fuming.  
  
=  
  
Spine stared at him. Peter sat in the middle of the H.O.W. in a wooden chair, Spine surrounded by wires and sitting in his own little throne of the things. Spine's eyes were nothing. An empty void. A light shone upon Peter, making him feel nervous of how dark it was everywhere else.  
  
He could see little purple stars light up and float up from Spine, reminding him he wasn't alone in the old room. Peter anxiously tapped his fingers on his knee and cleared his throat, looking about.  
  
"So, um-"  
  
"A woman," Spine finished for him. "You wan me, to help ye, wif a woman?"  
  
"Yes, Spine."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Vivian."  
  
"Tell me, how to ya feel about 'er?"  
  
Peter sighed and crossed his legs. "She's captivating me in ways I don't understand. I've seen her before, I know it, and I can see myself and her kissing, holding each other... She makes me blush, a blush that I feel, and one that makes me stare. Her beauty makes my heart stop, she smiles at me and I can't breathe any longer. She felt my stubble, Spine. She touched my face without a fear of what were to happen to her own hand."  
  
Spine nodded. Interesting. He sat upright and the wires snaked around Peter's chair, Spine in pursuit. He was walking, for Peter could hear his heels click against the black tile flooring. He circled peter. The lights flickered and shut off. Peter jumped, grabbing his chair and leaning back. He couldn't feel anything, wide eyes following the purple shapes floating up from Spine's cheek vents.  
  
The light turned back on and Spine smiled at Peter, making him scream and fall back. Spine grabbed Peter's chair and pulled him back upright, laughing it off.  
  
"What the heck was that for?!"  
  
"I just felt like trying out my new tricks," Spine laughed. Peter growled at him and sighed, shaking in his seat.  
  
"So, can you help me?"  
  
"It just seems like you've got it in or 'er, Pete. You love 'er and she loves ye back. I'd say go fer 'er. She seems grea wif Jingle, too."  
  
"Yeah, she is, and I really like that about her. Jan looks to her as her mother, just as I as her father. Spine, I wanna marry her."  
  
Spine laughed and sat back in his throne. The room then filled with lights. "Peter, ye sound like an idiot! Slow down, mate, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah okay okay." Peter sighed and laughed a bit. "But, I love her. How do I tell her?"  
  
"Spine looked about his room, then smiled. "Can I tell ye a story?"  
  
"Sure, but get rid of that accent. You sound like Meredith, the Disney Princess."  
  
"Actually, me son sounds more like her than I do, but alright then." Spine cleared his throat and smiled. "UpGrade told me she loved me with a kiss on my cheek. I told Malfunction I loved her with a kiss on her hand. I told Brianna that I loved her after a Walter Manor party at the Cavlacadium's annual ball. Hatchet? I told her that I loved her with a bracelet I gave her on her Construction day."  
  
"You've said."  
  
"But none of those compare to how I felt. A kiss, a simple statement, a gift. Give Vivian something that you feel she will appreciate and keep with her forever."  
  
"I gave her a pendant," he confessed.  
  
"The one I helped you with?"  
  
"Yeah, and she seemed to like it." He smiled from under his mask and twiddled his thumbs.  
  
"You gingers and blushing, I swear. Hatchet gets so flustered when I flirt with her sometimes. It must be a red-headed thing or something."  
  
"She's a ginger?" Peter asked.  
  
"Yeah," Spine nodded. "Well, that's what Pappy wanted her to be, anyways. Iris wasn't too keen on the idea of a blonde daughter, so she got a red-head. Man, her hair was so soft and silky, and still is..."  
  
"You see, Spine?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"That's how I get about Vivian. The same sweet-smiled way you get about Hatchet is how I feel about Vivian! I love her, Spine!"  
  
"Then go tell her you blubbering bloke! Bloody 'ell mate talking out me ear and breathing in my space go on!" Peter jumped up and ran out, Spine laughing hysterically.  
  



	140. Repressed memories, Evangeline, Nod's warning - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! Here is where we revisit past events and you find out why this fic is tagged for rape. Not what you might expect, though.
> 
> AND Peter has a startling moment of his own you might like better.
> 
> *song: Evangeline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFpVwGimtH0 
> 
> Warning: total weeper

The Spine sank into his wire chair and swung back, laughing. To think just a week ago he'd been miserable because of his transformation.  
  
But Peter! He was such a mess and The Spine loved it. Peter was the kind of person you just wanted to needle... But he'd always been too polite. It wasn't that he didn't like him, but he was just so... uptight. Well, if all went well, soon at least one of his reasons for that would be gone. The Spine had certainly come to appreciate that particular way of letting off steam.  
  
He chuckled softly. That was a pun.  
  
Something in his head pinged. "File memory restore scheduled," said a recorded voice. "Do you wish to abort?"  
  
"What?" He didn't know of any scheduled actions. What was it?  
  
"Please specify whether you wish to restore memory, delay restore, or delete."  
  
He eased himself out of his seat, puzzled. "Qwerty?"  
  
"Please respond. File will restore in thirty seconds."  
  
"Delay restore. Preview file."  
  
Ten seconds later, The Spine was curled into a ball on the floor, sobbing. Qwerty hovered over him, repeating his name... he could hear it faintly over the sound of the file replaying in his mind.  
  
"No..." he gasped.  
  
 _Stop this! Get off me! Let her go!_ he heard himself cry.  
  
 _When I have what I want..._ she hissed.  
  
 _What... What do you want...?_  
  
He clamped his eyes shut, shuddering. It hadn't really been Hatchet! He knew that... they'd stolen her body, used it to hold him down and... and... A ragged sob tore from him.  
  
"I didn't want to... Why wasn't I strong enough?"  
  
 _You want this, android..._  
  
"No..." he whispered, his fingers clawing deep marks into the metal floor. "I didn't want it... she made me... I didn't want it... Someone help me..."  
  
"End file preview. Restore, delay restore, or delete?"  
  
"Delete!" he almost screamed, eyes still shut.  
  
"SP13N?"  
  
"Delete function requires administrator passcode."  
  
"D@mmit, Peter!" he sobbed angrily. "I can't... I can't face this now... Bundle file with previous sixty seconds current memory and delay restore!"  
  
"Delaying restore."  
  
The Spine sat up and bumped his head on Qwerty. "Ow! Why am I on the floor?"  
  
"SP13N... R U OK?"  
  
"I'm... yeah. Sure. Just fine. Why am I laying on the floor?"  
  
The AI slid backward away from him. "UM..."  
  
The door opened. "Darling? It's time to go. Oh! What happened?"  
  
"Nothing at all..." He got up and hurried to her, smiling. "You look beautiful. Oh... for a human, I mean."  
  
She started to smile and looked up at his face. "Love, why are you crying?" she gasped.  
  
"What?" He touched his face. His fingers came away coated in oil. "Leak, maybe?"  
  
"But... That's an awful lot of oil, love! You didn't notice?"  
  
"That is odd..." he said faintly.  
  
She looked troubled for a moment but broke into a smile. "Well, come on, silly. We need to get you looking human."  
  
They hurried out hand in hand. He was happy. This was going to be fun!  
  
Behind them, Qwerty slid nervously out of the wiring, looking in confusion at the claw marks The Spine had left in the floor... and at a set of similar marks near the hammock that no one had seen fit to repair since their mysterious appearance a few months before.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter sat beside Vivian in a state of stupid bliss. Tell her... easier said than done, with a car full of staff and friends watching and listening.  
  
He noticed in a distracted sort of way as The Spine and Hatchet climbed into the van. He braced himself unnecessarily, forgetting that The Spine no longer weighed the ton he once had. The Spine was murmuring to Hatchet about how he'd always wanted to ride a roller coaster, and she whispered something into his ear that made him giggle. Peter blinked in surprise. That was a sound he hadn't expected to hear, ever.  
  
"Do you think we could?" he whispered.  
  
"We'll be invisible," she whispered back.  
  
They're not... Peter looked nervously at Vivian as Steve started the van and drove out of the driveway. To his relief, she was smiling over at Janelle, who was showing her the dress she was wearing to the fair.  
  
She went on that way, checking on each of them, asking about Carolina's hand, asking after Steve's new wife. Peter sighed. She was wonderful... He'd always seemed like a cold person (he wasn't, he just didn't know how to show his feelings) and seeing her care for them, tend their hurts, show interest... the things he felt but just couldn't find a way to express... It was perfect. She was perfect.  
  
She had her hand on The Spine's shoulder now. Peter focused his thoughts at last and heard her saying, "You sure? I just thought something was troubling you, honey."  
  
"Everyone has worries," he said tightly.  
  
"Alright. I won't trouble you about it..."  
  
She leaned back and Hatchet glanced back at her. Peter saw to his surprise that she looked worried.  
  
Once they were at the fair, they waved good-bye to Steve until later and scattered... at least, The Spine and Hatchet disappeared into the crowd. Peter refused to see if they were in line for the roller coaster. If they were considering what he thought they were, he didn't want anyone to connect him with them. The Spine was no longer a Walter robot so much as a grim reaper... let him get himself out of it if he got caught being naughty with a beautiful woman on a roller coaster.  
  
On the other hand, if word got out about something like that... Eh, who was he kidding? The fans would eat it up. It was a little scary, but it was true.  
  
They went on a few rides right away. He had the joy of being on a tilt-a-whirl with Vivian, who kept sliding against him and finally got so nervous that she grabbed onto him for stability. Life was good.  
  
But it was no place to tell her he loved her.  
  
They got lunch and Michael cried, "Oh, let's sit over near the stage! I've heard this lady perform before..."  
  
They ate and listened to a woman playing guitar and singing old folk songs mingled with her own compositions. Michael and Matt nodded to each other, sometimes sang along with Janelle joining in; the three thoroughly enjoying themselves. Vivian and Peter sat with Leo and Carolina and talked about Walter staff... she was interested in everyone, not in a nosy way but genuinely interested. But he noticed as they talked that she sometimes looked pained, or weary... he hoped he wasn't boring her.  
  
His eyes rested on her pendant and he said quickly, "Are you alright? Is the necklace working?"  
  
"Perfectly," she said with a sudden smile.  
  
"You just seemed..."  
  
"Oh!" she cried. "I know this song!"  
  
"What is it?" he asked, watching her face in fascination. She was excited about something... that was adorable...  
  
"It's... is that French, Leo?" asked Carolina. "Oh, it's so pretty... what is she singing?"  
  
Leo looked at Vivian, but she made no response. She was raptly listening to the singer. He shrugged and murmured, translating as the song continued, "She's singing about a woman named Evangeline*... she was going to be married to a man named Gabriel..."  
  
"Oh, that sounds so cute with that accent..."  
  
"Ssh," he said, but he was smiling. "So ze English came and took ze men away and Evangeline searched for Gabriel for twenty years... but she couldn't find 'im, so she took care of people, tried to ease zeir pain... one day she 'eard church bells in ze distance and knew 'er search was over... she found an old man dying and 'is face suddenly seemed to look like when 'e was young and she knew it was Gabriel..."  
  
"Oh!" gasped Carolina. "This is so sad!"  
  
Vivian said nothing, her hands clasped over her pendant, tears on her cheeks. Peter looked at her worriedly. Was that a normal reaction?  
  
"She gave 'im one last kiss as 'e died..."  
  
"Dang it!" Carolina murmured thickly, wiping her eyes with a napkin.  
  
"But people remember 'er name... and 'er name is ze name of all zose who believe in love and 'ope despite zeir unhappiness."  
  
"Oh, that's it..." sighed Carolina as the song ended. "That killed me."  
  
Vivian stood and hurried away.  
  
"Wait!" Peter cried, but she broke into a run.  
  
"Peter! She's new around 'ere, she shouldn't be by 'erself!" Leo cried.  
  
"Oh! Right!" He stood and ran after her.  
  
She was quick, at first. She found her way blocked by a crowd and stopped, dragging one arm across her eyes. Peter caught up, gasping for breath.  
  
"What... are you doing... you shouldn't run off alone..." he panted.  
  
She turned and looked at him, and he saw the pain in her eyes.  
  
"I can't do this!" she cried. "I thought I could wait as long as it took... I've waited so long already..." She broke down in sobs and the people in the crowd turned to look at them. Peter took her hand and hastily led her to a table beside an Italian ice truck. He gave her a napkin as she sat and sobbed into her hands, turned away from him.  
  
He wanted to hold her and make it better... but could he, really? He remembered now the conversation from the day before... she'd as good as said she'd had to leave home because of a man. Was that why she was crying? The song reminded her of him, whoever he was?  
  
Peter felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart with an icicle. Maybe he'd had it all wrong...  
  
"Look," he said. "Um... would you like to go on the Ferris Wheel?" he finished lamely. "It's... uh... that one. It might be quieter up there..."  
  
"Alright," she whispered.  
  
They walked through the stares Peter usually attracted, aggravated by the young, crying woman with him. Once they were inside the ride, she seemed to grow calmer, looking with interest out over the fairgrounds as the ride stopped to load more riders.  
  
He watched her and wondered what to do. Was she really interested like everyone said? Or had some idiot broken her heart? He felt a strange feeling at the thought, one foreign to him. The strongest urge to punch someone's lights out... What kind of jerk would hurt a woman like Vivian?  
  
Really, if there was even a chance, he ought to at least try. Because the options were to leave her mourning this donkey who had hurt her and keep on suffering in doubt himself, or tell her he loved her and maybe get shot down. But at least he'd know!  
  
"Vivian... I need to tell you something..." he murmured, surprised at the emotion in his voice. He wanted so much for it to be him that she loved!  
  
She turned suddenly toward him from where she'd been leaning and gasped sharply. He heard something pinging through the metal of the wheel.  
  
"Oh, no!" she gasped, clutching at her throat.  
  
"What? The... oh, crap, the pendant's gone!" he cried, trying not to panic. "It's... it's gonna be okay... hang on..."  
  
He pulled out his phone and hit speed dial. "Leo!" he screamed. "Yeah, sorry, but Vivian's pendant just fell down into the area under the Ferris Wheel! Right, fast as you can!"  
  
"Peter..." she whispered. "I don't... I don't think I can..."  
  
He dropped his phone and grabbed for her as she sagged into a faint.  
  
"No... so quickly... Vivian! Don't... don't what... just..."  
  
 _Think, idiot!_  
  
The ride stopped. He hoped that was Leo's doing. Sure enough, he heard Leo speaking doctor to the ride operator, saying a patient of his had dropped her medication. Nice...  
  
He looked down at her, trembling. Her breathing was shallow.  
  
"We're looking, Peter! 'ow is she?" cried Leo's voice from somewhere below.  
  
"Hurry!" he screamed. _Vivian... don't die..._  
  
It was taking too long! She was so weak... but he knew there was one chance... She needed Blue Matter. He had Blue Matter. It hadn't kept her from fainting before, but she hadn't died either. And the mask had been in the way then... He reached up and snapped open his mask, dropping it, ignoring the screams from onlookers on the ground. He pressed his cheek against hers.  
  
"Please work... please..." he breathed. He kissed her cheeks, her head, pressing what should have been a vortex against her skin and hoping she could absorb enough to stay alive.  
  
"I love you, Vivian... don't leave me..." He kissed her on the mouth, desperate, remembering with a pang the song that had upset her... please don't let this be our last kiss like in the song...  
  
Last kiss? Wasn't it the first? But of course... it at last came into focus. Her arms closed weakly around him and his head buzzed with memories of kissing this same mouth... holding her in his arms...  
  
"Remember, Peter Walter... Remember this time..."  
  
 _I didn't remember..._  
  
"Come to me..."  
  
 _I didn't do that either! I'm the man who broke her heart! I am a d@mned idiot. And a jerk. And a donkey._  
  
Vivian opened her eyes. "Peter..." she said weakly as he held his cheek against hers once more.  
  
"I'm so sorry..." he whispered. "It's my fault... you came here looking for me... you could have died just coming here and now... Why would you risk your life for an idiot?"  
  
"Mon cher..." she said in a voice choked with tears. "I love you... You are my life..."  
  
Oh, that was a good answer! "Stay calm..." he begged. "Please, just don't move until..."  
  
"Got it!" roared Leo's voice. There was a cheer from the crowd that had gathered below. Peter almost cried. He shut his eyes and clung to her as the ride began to move once more.  
  
"Wait until the car stops OH MY LORD!" the ride operator cried.  
  
The ride stopped with a sudden jerk and the crowd stared in silence as Leo, stifling laughter, hastily opened the ride in lieu of the stunned woman at the controls and held out the pendant. Peter snatched it and held it against Vivian. Leo picked up the fallen mask and put it over Peter's face, fastening it for him.  
  
"Thanks," Peter said weakly. "For everything."  
  
"No worries, eh?" Leo said with a lopsided grin as Peter pocketed his phone and led Vivian from the car with his arm around her.  
  
"The chain's broken..." Leo said as they moved past the frightened onlookers. "I told Carolina..."  
  
"Here!" she cried, running up. "Got the first thing I saw."  
  
Leo took it and laughed, opening the chain and threading the pendant onto it while Vivian held it.  
  
"Congratulations," Carolina laughed. "Now you have a miniature Pikachu plushie to go with your pendant."  
  
"He's cute," Vivian murmured as her knees buckled.  
  
"Whoops!" cried Carolina but Peter hastily swept Vivian into his arms.  
  
He carried her back to the music pavilion, enjoying it much more than the last time he'd held her this way. He realized now he had enjoyed it then, too... he just hadn't understood why. He gently lowered her onto a chair.  
  
"Thank you both," he said to the others. "I think we'll sit here for a while."  
  
"Alright. Matt, Mike and Janelle are off riding some more rides."  
  
"Hopefully not the roller coaster," Peter murmured.  
  
"Be careful now, Miss Vivian," Leo urged. "And Peter... you know they 'ave a dark ride 'ere, oui?"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A dark ride... you know... little cars or boats, just enough room for two... just far enough away from other cars to 'ave a little privacy." He winked and led Carolina away laughing.  
  
Ten minutes before, Peter would have been mortified. Now...  
  
"So... Any preferences on when to have the wedding?"  
  
She looked at him with wide eyes.  
  
"I mean... if you still want to..." he said quietly.  
  
She closed her eyes, relaxing against him. He slid his arm around her. He knew he'd be kicking himself for weeks... no, more like years, for forgetting the woman he loved for so long. But he knew now... and he wasn't wasting any more time.  
  
"I was afraid I'd dreamed it..." she said wearily. "My preference is that we have it as soon as possible, cher."  
  
"Mine too," he sighed.  
  
\----------  
  
"Grimm!" cried a lively voice.  
  
Grimm jumped and swore oaths too vile for human ears. "Get out! They're thick as thieves now, I wash my hands of the whole affair."  
  
"Ah," said Nod. "But I came to thank you with a return favor. You brought those succubi to justice with Lina's help. But unless you act to prevent disaster, Pine will have a nightmare tonight that will open his memory wide and you may lose two Reapers before the end."  
  
"He's been fine..."  
  
"He was raped. You think it only happens to girls? And the body used to do it was Hatchet's. You know who unleashed them on Walter Manor. You know why he sent the worst one after her husband. And you know that she succeeded before Lina was able to pull her off of him... and that the little jerk who sent them is still out there stirring things up. I'm as fed up with him as you are... but I also care about Hatchet's husband. I've known him a long time... the one Walter robot who wants to sleep, not just go into stasis. I think he's an adorable baby. I don't like seeing him suffer. She made him feel helpless and frightened. Fear is dangerous, especially in such a powerful robot.  
  
"My boy Pitch says the nightmare will come after his assignment tonight... after their customary post-job coupling. Find a way to help him. More eyes than mine are watching."  
  
Nod vanished. Grimm groaned.  
  


"More complications..." he muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, it can happen to guys, too. And if guys, why not this guy? Yeah, I know why not... poor babby...
> 
> And yes, from the Greek mythology I used as a reference, the god of nightmares is Nod's son. So I went all Rise of the Guardians and called him Pitch. And figured he'd not be as bad in real life as they made him look in the movie.


	141. Nod threatens T0mmy, Matt and Janelle being lovable dorks, bored vampires - NinjaPastry

"Nod, come on," T0mmy blistered past his barred room, an empty bunk below his. The now frowning man, arms crossed, stood on the other side. The light he was giving off was making the clone angry with how sweepingly horrid it was. "Just- just give me back my weapon and we'll all be friends again."  
  
"I never said we were friends."  
  
"Yet her you are, staring me down while my bestie runs about with his dust."  
  
"I have another out, Thomas," Nod glared. His similarities to a younger Shia LeBouf and The Spine chilling. "Just as 'Grimm' has you poor unfortunate souls doing his dirty work for him, I have helpers who enjoy doing the same thing i get to do. Some are working overtime so I can yell at a servant of my brother."  
  
T0mmy reached out at Nod in a little fit of rage, then turned around and walked over to the sink. "You are not allowed to call me Thomas. That's not my name."  
  
"I know it's Tomahawk, but watching you get mad when you can't do anything is kinda pleasing. But I'm here to warn you. DO not destroy the hearts of the two soldiers you work with, The Spine and Hatchet."  
  
"It's my main priority," he hissed.  
  
"Stay warm tonight, Thomas. It's going to get cold."  
  
"I'm used to it, glitter pants."  
  
Nod shook his head and disappeared in a cloud of light-dust. T0mmy sat on the floor and played in the dirt, welcoming the darkness as it came.  
  
=  
  
Michael, slowly taking a dip of ice cream from Janelle's bowl, smiled at Matt. The other only laughed and shook his head. Jan looked to the one with tubes still coming out of his head and arms and laughed, smacking his hand.  
  
"That is my chocolate ice cream, mister," she scolded. Michael snorted and took her paper bowl from her and stuffed his stubble face into it, Making her laugh aloud. They stopped their walking and Janelle pulled the bowl from Michael's face, Matt even laughing at the way Michael looked.  
  
"I miss the feeling of having my face submerged in cold things," Michael sighed. The siblings giggled and Michael grabbed the few napkins left from Janelle's back pocket, taking his time to rub her bum before wiping off his nose and chin.  
  
"You are such a dork," Matt said, continuing to enjoy his strawberry ice cream. Michael gave the chocolate back to Jan and continued to lick at his vanilla cone, looking around at the rides and stands.  
  
Janelle held the cup away from her, stopping her walking. The two looked back at her and she suddenly sneezed, tossing her head forward and then stepping back to catch herself on the rebound. Matt handed Michael his cup and walked over to her, pinching her nose and holding her head back, scrunching up his own nose and cringing at the younger.  
  
"What's wrong? Why are you doing that?" Michael asked.  
  
"She gets bloody noses right after she sneezes. Failed surgery after one year dad shoved a knife up her nose."  
  
"He was aiming for my eye," she said in addition to Matt's dreadful statement. Michael realized his jaw was dropped and walked back to her. "I could manage with a napkin," she said, green eyes meeting with the blue of the sky.  
  
"I don't have any more," Michael said, then looked around. "I can go get som-"  
  
"Hurry," she droned. Michael nodded and ran off, Matt leading Janelle to the nearest little bathroom house, stepping into the women's with her. He helped her to the sinks and pulled at the paper towel machine to find the butt, then sighed.  
  
"Best thing we can do until Michael comes back is use toilet paper and wash your face off," he laughed. Jan then smacked his arm, making him laugh again. Janelle put her head down, a gross feeling coming over her. The feeling of blood pooling in her nostril was just chilling, making her jolt. Matt stood back and she shivered, then looked in the mirror.  
  
"I look 20," she said to him, turning her head to see how different she looked than what she had last remembered.  
  
"Yeah, Leo said something about how Grimm did that to make it so Michael wasn't so much of a pervert near you. 'Cuz, ya know..."  
  
"Yeah, but, I liked looking 16. I was pretty."  
  
"And you're not now?"  
  
She looked at him and shrugged, still holding her nose. "No, I mean, I just look different and a different I didn't grow along with. I just missed a good 4 years of my aging."  
  
"Well, you'll have to get used to that, because according to Leo and Peter, we'll be this way for a while."  
  
"You look exactly the same," she said quietly, looking back to the mirror. "I wonder if our hair and nails grow."  
  
"If we bleed, then we grow, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but nothing else does?"  
  
"I guess. I dunno."  
  
"It's weird."  
  
"You're weird."  
  
"Your face is weird," she laughed.  
  
"Your... your mom is.. weird?" Matt said, unsure of his comeback. Janelle laughed and Michael stepped in, tossing Matt the bundle of napkins he had gotten.  
  
"Luckily there's no one in here," Matt said, handing Janelle the napkins. She tilted her head back and replaced her fingers with the napkins and held them under her nose, watching them soak through in the mirror. Michael slid out of then bathroom as Matt walked over to his little sister, helping her toss her head back again to remove the napkins and replace them in a better spot.  
  
"We can find a place to sit and rest," Matt offered.  
  
"Yeah," she said, "That's be great. Back to the music venue would be awesome."  
  
Matt led her out of the bathroom, getting a look from a woman standing outside on her phone.  
  
=  
  
"6... 2... 0... 1... um... 7? Yeah, 7," Ro mumbled to herself. She looked down the halls, turned the lock, and opened the door. The lantern in her hand grew brighter as she peered in.  
  
"Ro, please tell me you have more blood," Anthony begged.  
  
"Just for you four," she smiled. "Two buckets." Anthony "huzzah!"ed and Pruitt laughed as the kids walked out and grabbed the buckets.  
  
"When can we go back upstairs?" Lizzie asked Ro. She shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. Whenever Peter says you can, but I don't know when that'll be, really."  
  
"Can you ask?" Paul asked.  
  
"Not now. He's at the fair with others." The kids sighed together and walked back into the dark vault. Ro frowned. "Do you want the lantern? Some colouring books?"  
  
"Yeah!" Lizzie and Paul shouted. Pruitt laughed.  
  
"Anthony? Pruitt? Anything for you two?"  
  
"Pokemon cards from Anthony's room," Pruitt said. "Please."  
  
Ro curtsied and laughed, shutting the vault. Lizzie and Paul dipped their hands into the bucket and drank it from their fingers, Anthony and Pruitt simply taking the bucket and drinking gulps down.  
  
"I hope Ro comes back soon," Anthony sighed, watching the flame of the lantern. "I'm so bored in here."  
  



	142. Robot teenagers at the fair, Peter makes it official, The Spine is getting worse - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately we're now entering the plot line that gets cut off. I've been meaning to ask NinjaPastry if he wants to continue it or wrap it up, or if he'll just let me tie it off. It was a lot of fun but got to be a bit of a chore to maintain after a while, but finishing up existing storylines wouldn't be unpleasant. We just don't have time to keep it going anymore. Anyway, there's a couple dozen more I think. It's hard to count in Wordpad files, the scrolling is terrible.

"Do they have roller coasters in England?" asked AJ.  
  
"Well, of course, dear! It's called a Big Dipper though."  
  
"Makes sense," Steve chuckled as he locked the car. "I hope the Big Dipper here is good..."  
  
"Oh, call it a roller coaster! I'm going American today," she urged.  
  
"Aw, Mum..." drawled Boyle gloomily.  
  
"You look lovely, Mum," said Emmeline.  
  
"Brown-noser..."  
  
"Why'd we bring Boyle, Mum?"  
  
"You two get along or we'll take you right back! I'm beginning to wish I'd brought Bloch, even if he is too large to go on the rides. But he can pick you two up and keep you in line."  
  
Carol's robotic children had come as a fair shock to AJ. He'd started to think of Steve and Carol as adopted parents, considering his were a mass of conflict on any given day. He felt a certain amount of jealousy when they were introduced but it wasn't long before he began to feel pity for Carol. They were three years older than he was, but they acted their age...  
  
Emmeline moved around to the other side of AJ. "Mustn't let the little sod get to me today. I've never been on an American big dipper!"  
  
"You've never been on any big dipper, trash bot."  
  
"If you two wreck this for AJ," Steve said pleasantly, "his parents are going to hear about it."  
  
"So?" said Boyle.  
  
"His parents are robots, too. Tough ones. Just think of two Blochs, only with nasty tempers."  
  
AJ grinned as Steve paid for the tickets and Boyle fell into a sullen silence. There were a lot of interesting rides... high rides, fast rides, rides that swung you around or dropped you... and AJ didn't know which to try first, they all looked so fun! He was interested in anything that made you think you might actually die. He wasn't sure if it was a healthy obsession, but he didn't really care if it wasn't. He needed speed... Wind through that ridiculous mane of hair they'd given him. He wondered if anyone would care if he detached it... then remembered he was passing as human and sighed.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Emmeline, peering at him through her blue eye inserts. She and Boyle were done up as well, though Boyle looked as weasely as he sounded and Emmeline looked like a surfer. A pretty surfer.  
  
"I'll just text Peter and see where everyone is," Steve said.  
  
AJ stood, kicking aimlessly at some dropped napkins. Boyle started to peer around him at Emmeline and AJ shot him a dirty look. To his surprise, Boyle took a step backward.  
  
He heard voices... well, the whole place was noise but he heard girl voices... and looked up. They were several yards off... too far for a human to hear. But he was sure he'd heard one of them say, "Omigawd, he's hot!"  
  
He looked around them, wondering who they were looking at... and realized they were looking toward Steve. Of course.  
  
"I love his chucks..."  
  
Chucks?  
  
"Steve?" he said quietly. "Are chucks some kind of clothing?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, I've heard people call sneakers that."  
  
AJ looked down. Steve was wearing boots. Whereas AJ... he gasped and looked up at the girls and they turned away, giggling. One of them said, "I wonder if she's his girlfriend..."  
  
He would have blushed if he could. Emmeline looked at him sidelong and inched away.  
  
"Peter's looking at the vendors with Vivian, and the others are wandering around in groups.," said Steve. "They're meeting around six for dinner. Well, that gives us time to hit some rides! You want to find your folks first, AJ?"  
  
"Huh? Why would I want that?"  
  
Steve roared with laughter. "Alright, then! Roller coaster! Come on, kids, let's check it out." He jogged away with Carol strolling casually behind. AJ and the others hurried after Steve.  
  
They got to the gates of the roller coaster and saw them just opening it up. As they walked in, Steve asked, "Was there a problem?"  
  
"It's been crazy here today, man," said a scrawny teenager running the ride. "We had to look the coaster over because someone was hearing it making weird noises, like someone was being murdered or doin' it or something, and a totally empty car was tipping back and forth during the ride. And the Ferris Wheel had to be stopped because some old Indian lady lost her heart meds and I heard that when they brought her down from the ride she was necking with some dude with a blue face..."  
  
Carol gasped. Steve trembled... AJ was pretty sure he was struggling not to laugh. AJ started to laugh himself, but the rocking coaster car mystery suddenly sounded to him like something that could have involved two Reapers turned invisible and he felt suddenly queasy... at least, as far as he knew that was how queasy felt...  
  
Were parents supposed to be this embarrassing? He knew they were supposed to be a little, but did they have to be so... so randy?  
  
"Well, call Scooby Doo to figure it out because we're going on this coaster!" Steve said almost too loudly. They got into the front, with AJ hesitating for a moment, wondering exactly which car had been tipping...  
  
He settled in behind Steve and Carol finally, with Emmeline hastily dropping in beside him before Boyle could get in. Boyle swore under his breath and got in behind them.  
  
"What the crap have we missed? It's only been a few hours!" Steve was saying.  
  
"She must be alright, or Peter would have said," Carol said.  
  
"But necking? What was that all about?"  
  
The cars clicked up a tall ramp. AJ wriggled excitedly. Emmeline clung to the rail in front of them.  
  
"I expect it will be an interesting dinner!" Carol continued. "I can't wait to hear what happened with Peter. It does sound as if they're getting on..."  
  
"Getting on? Are you sure you don't mean getting o-"  
  
"Hush! Children are present."  
  
Steve snickered as the coaster began it's descent. "Put your arms in the air, guys!"  
  
AJ complied as the world dropped out from under him and crowed joyously as the wind whipped through his vents. It wasn't flying, but it awesome! He wondered if there was a limit on how many times they'd let him ride this...  
  
Emmeline shrieked and shut her eyes. Behind them Boyle was screaming like a little girl. AJ laughed into the rushing wind, whooping as they tore around a curve.  
  
"Open yehr eyes!" he yelled.  
  
"We're gonna sodding die!"  
  
"No, we're not! Look, it's right safe, Emmy!"  
  
He glanced at her as they were flung around another turn and saw that she had opened her eyes. He laughed delightedly as they approached the loop.  
  
"What's that?" she shrieked.  
  
"A loop!" was all he had time to say before they arrived... and then for one fantastic moment they were upside-down. Emmeline grabbed onto him, screaming.  
  
"Whoa, steady on!" he cried.  
  
Boyle was still shrieking.  
  
"Right side up again, get off!" AJ barked as they vaulted forward. She hastily let him go and returned to clinging to the bar. "That wasn't scary, girl!"  
  
"Wasn't scared, you tosser!"  
  
AJ responded with another whoop as they were launched through a series of hills. To his surprise, he heard Emmeline giggling. As the ride went on and Boyle's screams continued, she laughed harder and harder. By the time they rolled into the loading area, she was leaning back in her seat and laughing as joyously as AJ was.  
  
"Oh, that was fun!" said Carol, composing her wind-blown curls as they walked away. "Oh, do keep up, Boyle dear. We won't make you go again, love."  
  
"How can you all think that was fun?" Boyle asked in a trembling voice.  
  
"Come on, buddy. Your mum tells me you can eat. Let's try some carnival food," said Steve pleasantly.  
  
"Um... Steve... I don't want to eat. Can I go on the big dipper again?" asked Emmeline.  
  
AJ looked at her approvingly. "Me, too. I don't need food."  
  
"Well, here..." Carol held out a bottle of water.  
  
"I don't need to top up, Carol..."  
  
"Oh, alright. We'll be along soon. Wait for us at the exit."  
  
AJ and Emmeline looked at each other, grinned, and ran back to the ride.  
  
\----------  
  
"Hm... no... Not quite right..."  
  
"Oh, these are all so delicate! And you say they produce them with machines?"  
  
"We produce a lot of things with machines," Peter replied, peering down at a tray full of rings.  
  
"The ones over here are hand crafted, hon," said the older woman behind the table.  
  
"What size ring do you wear?" asked Peter.  
  
"Ring?"  
  
"On your finger?"  
  
"I don't really wear them..." Vivian said, looking at a dreamcatcher.  
  
"Well..." Peter looked down at her. It had all happened so quickly; at least, it felt that way. He was remembering bit by bit that it hadn't, though. It was a strange feeling, knowing he had loved her for years and yet had just become officially engaged to her in person. "I was sorta hoping I could persuade you to wear one."  
  
She looked at him. "Why?"  
  
He squeezed her hand and said, "It's... it's a tradition among my people. We call it an engagement ring. It's... to show others that you've promised to marry me... Sounds kinda primitive when I put it like that, I guess."  
  
"Oh..." she breathed. "Well... yes. I could make an exception for that... I think it sounds lovely."  
  
He sighed happily.  
  
"What should we choose? Is there a traditional style? I hope it won't interfere with your work, though..."  
  
"With my... Oh, no, see, only women wear engagement rings."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He stared at her. Why indeed?  
  
"Well, I suppose because men are stupid and like to mark things they regard as property. We can skip it..."  
  
"But I like it! I'd like everyone to know we're promised to each other."  
  
"You two are so adorable!"  
  
They looked up in surprise. The vendor was beaming at them over her table.  
  
"Come on, maybe we can start a trend! Mutual engagement rings. Let's see... you asked what size she wears, here..." She pulled out a set of metal rings. "Let's have your finger, hon."  
  
Vivian held out her pointer finger. The vendor chuckled and gently tugged at Vivian's ring finger. Once it was measured, she murmured, "Eight. Alright, yours now."  
  
Bemused, Peter held his out. "Nine and a half. Such slim hands! Alright, the traditional diamond ring isn't going to work for both and I don't have any anyway. Here are the larger sizes... See anything you like?"  
  
Vivian looked at a tray of ornate metal rings.  
  
"That's an interesting mask. Are you in the parade later?" asked the vendor. "I know there was a Steampunk group around here somewhere..."  
  
"Oh, no... it's a medical condition..." Peter stammered.  
  
"Oh, poor baby. Nothing serious I hope."  
  
"Nothing I can't survive..."  
  
"This one!" Vivian had chosen a simple ring of woven fibers, pressed into a smooth circle and curling around a clear round stone. "This reminds me of home... like grass and water."  
  
She took it out and put it on his finger. It looked a little feminine, but he had no one to impress but her.  
  
"You're promised to me," she said with a smile.  
  
He giggled, to his embarrassment.  
  
"Well, don't stand there giggling like a little girl, choose hers, hon."  
  
He'd been trying to do just that already, but nothing seemed good enough... Then he saw a group of rings in a glass case. There was one with a deep blue stone set in silver. It reminded him of her pendant. The silver coiled around the stone in fine, elaborate patterns.  
  
"What size is that one?" he murmured.  
  
"Oh!" The woman looked at it. "You sweet thing, that's the prettiest one in my collection. Yeah, it should fit her."  
  
She unlocked the case and pulled it out. "It's a bit more, mind you..."  
  
He wanted to carelessly shrug off the expense but the fact was that his funds were limited. Always. But before he could speak, Vivian interrupted.  
  
"Oh, cher, you shouldn't spend too much on it. I'm just as much yours with my finger bare as I'll ever be wearing that."  
  
"How much?" he asked quickly.  
  
"Eighty."  
  
"Oh!" he said, relieved. He'd expected it to be a lot more. "That's not bad at all."  
  
"Are you sure?" Vivian asked as he gently slid it onto her finger.  
  
"I just have the feeling this is right. It's beautiful, like you. It goes with your eyes..."  
  
"Peter..." she sighed, looking down. He wished he could kiss her on the head. He hugged her instead.  
  
"And eighty really isn't bad for a ring. It looks the part, too... I can't wait to see their faces when you come home wearing an engagement ring. Mom will either beat me or gloat for months..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, not really beat me... but yeah, I've caught her giving us both weird looks. I think she guessed something was up."  
  
"She's perceptive..."  
  
"Well, I have been spending a lot of time staring at you..." he whispered, stroking her cheek. "I knew, somewhere deep down... I felt it from the first moment I saw you. I guess she could see it."  
  
"How's the fit?" asked the vendor loudly.  
  
Subtle. He took out his credit card and handed it over to the smiling woman.  
  
"Perfect," he replied as Vivian rested her head against his shoulder.  
  
\----------  
  
The Spine and Hatchet giggled together at the ridiculous attempts to scare them. Their car trundled past some teenagers in fake blood and zombie masks.  
  
They'd been very giggly since the roller coaster. Getting it shut down had been a bonus. Hatchet had been a little guilty but it was nothing a few long kisses in a dark ride couldn't cure.  
  
But now they were enjoying the show.  
  
"It's like the creature features Four used to watch as a kid," Spine laughed. "Such high budget films..."  
  
The ride ended and Hatchet climbed out. The Spine started to follow but couldn't get his strap undone.  
  
"Oh, for... Can someone come fix this?" she called loudly.  
  
"Hatchet?" said The Spine. She turned sharply.  
  
"I have to get out..."  
  
"It'll just be a moment, love," she said.  
  
"No! I... I'm stuck, I have to get out..."  
  
"Spine?"  
  
"I'll just snap it..."  
  
"No! We're in disguise! They'll know something's not right!"  
  
"I can't stand being held down..." he gasped panicking.  
  
"What?" She laughed nervously. "You... you never minded me holding you down..."  
  
"I let you! I... I had to..."  
  
She frowned and her eyes flashed. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"No... I don't mean... I wanted you to... I don't know why I said that..."  
  
She stared at him. He'd stopped struggling and was staring blankly ahead of him. "No..." he whispered.  
  
"What's going on?" she demanded, frightened.  
  
"Delete file!" he barked, clamping his eyes shut.  
  
She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Spine!" she cried.  
  
He screamed. "Get off me!"  
  
She pulled away sharply. What in the world...?  
  
"Bundle recent memory thirty seconds and delay restore!"  
  
"Do what now?"  
  
He had fallen silent, trembling until the whole car rattled.  
  
"Spine?" she said softly.  
  
"Did I go into stasis? Must have been pretty dull!" he said pleasantly, smiling blandly up at her. But he still shook.  
  
She leaned in hesitantly and tugged at the strap. It snapped in two but she didn't care anymore. She took his hand and helped him out. He pulled her into his arms and she could feel the shuddering, hear the twitchy little bubbles in his boiler.  
  
"Are you... okay?"  
  
"Fine. Just fine." But he clung to her the same way he had that morning.  
  
"There a problem, lady?"  
  
"Oh.., yeah, the strap in that car is broken," she replied. She took her husband's hand and led him out.  
  
Once The Spine was engrossed in watching a mime in the midway, she sent, _Leo? We need to talk..._  



	143. Leo's pleasant ride interrupted by business, Five around the Manor, the visitors are on their way - NinjaPastry

Shivers made Leo shake violently for a split second. Carolina looked at him, a look on her face. "What was that for?" she asked. He had her pulled over him in the Tunnel of Love, a finger tracing the scar across his nose lightly with her ring finger while her other hand ran through his soft hair. He had a hand to the small of her back, his pinkie through a loop in her jeans, and a hand upon her ribs after having something else to grab at for a while.  
  
"I.." he wasn't exactly sure to respond with. She reset her finger and he snapped out of his thought, smiling. "Yeah, I'm fine, um, just a shiver."  
  
"Okay," she laughed, giggling as Leo pulled her back down an ran his hand across her bum. He heard Hatchet's voice deep within his soul among his own screaming and pleading for mercy, then jolted again. Carolina slid off of him and sat with her legs crossed, fixed her hair, and glared at him.  
  
"What is wrong with you?" she asked. "You are acting so strangely."  
  
"I don't know!" he said in return. She gasped and he gave her a "wtf" look.  
  
"You're bleeding out of your eyes," she said, making him put a hand to his eye. Blood? No. Star dust.  
  
"I keep haring Hatchet's mussage... Silence, please," he said, shaking. She nodded, holding his hands with hers worriedly. He shut his eyes and felt his cheeks burn from the star dust.  
  
"Carolina, I will make it up to you afterwards, but I need to talk with Hatchet."  
  
"Alright. I hope everything's okay," she said. Leo nodded and opened his eyes, Carolina gasping to see a full dark pair of eyes in place of Leo's usual soft brown and lime green eyes. And like that he was gone, only leaving a warm feeling beside her and sparkles floating in the air that floated away behind her.  
  
She let out a disturbed sigh, hugging her knees and resting her head on her arm, looking to the empty seat beside her as the ride continued on. The music was annoying, the tunnel was humid even despite the constant drafts being a hand-built tunnel. She needed a vacation.  
  
=  
  
"Leo," Hatchet said breathlessly. As if she had any in the first place. "Leo, please, something is wrong with The Spine," she cried. Leo opened his eyes to see her, standing in a room of nether brick and fire.  
  
He brought out his arms and she fell into him. He caught her and held her up, thankful for her insanely light weight. "Comment allez-vous?" he asked frantically. "Vous n'avez pas l'air bien, Hatchet..."  
  
"No! I'm not alright! Spine is tearing apart inside!"  
  
"Je ne comprendes pas."  
  
"He's freaking out every time he needs to back up data and I have no idea what's wrong with him," she said, grabbing onto his shoulders. "He's scaring me... I need to be strong for him, but I can't see straight without seeing him cry out and burn in his own tears..."  
  
Leo looked at Hatchet's light brown, dark orange hair and her many freckles, realizing why her eyes were teal, even though he knew his thoughts were going off-topic. Hatchet was a ginger. Huh.  
  
"Please, Leonardo, help him." Hatchet begged with all of her might. It was actually quite pleasing to see her so vulnerable.  
  
"Moi... ne pas..."  
  
"Is there anything you can do? Look into his memories? See what is scaring him so badly? Anything?"  
  
Leo thought for a second, running over protocols, systematic, automaton procedures for manual and static shut-down... If it was a back-up problem, must be a functional issue in his programming. Protocol #18... Yeah, that'd work. However, knowing Hatchet, she'd want to be with him while the "operation" was going on, but she';d see what happened and it would probably ruin her, whatever it was...  
  
"Oui, Madame. Oui, il y est ordinateur celui qui raccommode nombre dix-huit. OK?"  
  
Hatchet nodded, standing and wiping her tears. "Oui," she smiled, "Merci." Leo smiled. her French was pleasing well. "How soon can you do it?"  
  
She knew what it was... He sighed, bit his lip, then shrugged. "Plus tard, peut-être trois heures. S'il vous plait, ne pas inquiétude."  
  
"Alright. I won't. I trust you," she said, and then was gone. He nodded, wondering how she understood everything he'd said. There must've been a translator programmed into her, probably why Jon could spew perfect German at any given time for no absolute reason. He did it a lot before Jan entered the manor, and even more before he was upgraded with the Crystal Pepsi.  
  
Leo looked around the room, nothing but dark red brick. A monster appeared, some sort of tall creature of stardust with bright purple eyes, a dirt clump in his long fingers. Leo made eye contact and the creature growled, Leo leaving instantly, finding himself right along side Carolina as the cart pulled out from the tunnel.  
  
"You make me feel like an idiot," she hissed at him. He giggled when she smacked his peck and they got out. Th ride manager laughed.  
  
"Seems like you two got in a quarrel, huh? Slip his hand too far up your leg?" He winked at Carolina and Leo kindly punched him square in the face.  
  
"No one talks to a lady like that, nor about a man that way," he shouted. The manager, a teen by any looks, fell tot he ground and nodded. Carolina took a few steps, then held her hand out. Leo walked up to her and slipped his hand into hers and they walked onward, not a single word from either of them.  
  
"So, what did Hatchet want from you?" she asked as they got closer to where they saw Janelle sitting with Michael and Matt.  
  
"She said that he was having trouble going into stasis," he lied. "I have to do some tests to ensure he's alright. Tiz all." He sat her down behind Michael and stole a fry, shoving it in Carolina's face, making her laugh.  
  
"You dork," she said, finishing the fry with a snap of her teeth. He smiled at her. How did he ever not like her in the first place? Work, presumably. "Tell me more things in French."  
  
"Non, zat iz fer bedroom only."  
  
"I mean just basic things," she defended, getting a bit blushy. Matt even looked back at them and wiggled his eyebrows.  
  
"Okay, okay... hm... Context clues, Carolina. I want you to use zem. Okay?" She nodded. "Quelle est ton adresse e-mail?"  
  
"Oh, it's carolinap4@steampoweredgiraffe.com*."  
  
"Non," Leo said. "You say it like ziz in French: C'est carolinap quarte arobase steampoweredgiraffe point com."  
  
"Holla get what now?"  
  
Leo laughed and shook his head. "Try it! Repetez."  
  
They sat there and practiced a while as the three listened to the one-acts, one-man bands, and country singers. Country in San Diego? All Janelle could think was "gross."  
  
=  
  
The shuffling of papers, the crinkling of wrappers, the soft clonks of juice boxes, Peter Walter the Sixth's office was a mess. And now Peter Walter the Fifth was cleaning it out, wanting to see how his son managed these past horrid events and how he was going to continue.  
  
He found his great-grandpappy's blueprint book and found Six's own little tidbit notes and extra clear film-overs for them. Spine's infrastructure had been hulled out of blue matter, and Hatchet's was totally a new blueprint. Jon's was the same, just censors, as well as UpGrade's. In fact, all the bots got- that would explain so many things, Peter face-palmed.  
  
Looking to the doorway, he saw Ro sneak in and grab a couple of things from Janelle's little station by the door. Crayons, a colouring book, and a pencil or two.  
  
"Miss Pansino, what ever are you doing?"  
  
"Oh, Five, yes, I'm getting things to entertain the little vampires."  
  
"Have you heard anything on how they're holding up?"  
  
"I got them some more blood and a lantern. They're bored, so, why not give them something to not be bored with!"  
  
"See, a problem has come upon me. I cannot let them go because they are great assets to the manor, however, they pose a threat tot the community of California if I keep them here. I was thinking of releasing them to Kazooland. Annie and I ran into a nice Vampire King there whose twin descendants would make great friends with Anthony and Hope."  
  
"That sounds great, but Paul and Lizzie seem pretty solid on wanting to stay. Jon and UpGrade are really great to them and they'd have no where else they'd find more friends than here, in my opinion. But you went to the King of Vampires, so, I don't even think my opinion matters. I'll bring it up to them."  
  
"Include Ian on the conversation, Mr. Hecox would seem to have a voice in whether or not his best friend leaves the dimension or not."  
  
"Wonderful idea, Mr. Walter," Ro beamed, then left the office. Five returned to the desk of Six and smiled to see the many Roman Numerals scratched into the lip of the desk. There was 1, 2, 3, 4, his own, 6, and what looked like a thin 7. Who would have written that? Annie? She'd never deface Walter property like that, even given her liberties as Madam of le mansion.  
  
Could have been Leo when he first came here, or maybe Janelle did it. Whatever the matter, it was there. Whoever 7 ended up being, they'd have less of a chance once Annie finally gave up on trying to get Peter and Vivian together.  
  
"QWERTY," Five called, "Where is my son?"  
  
"Lolz Peter's in teh SteamPunk World's Fair SD, bozz :3"  
  
"Thank you. When is his scheduled return?"  
  
"2 PM"  
  
"It's 1 now.. Thank you, QWERTY. Stasis mode, please."  
  
"K thnx bai," he beeped, then shut down.  
  
"Actually, QWERTY," Five said. QWERTY powered back up and smiled at him from the screen at the corner of the computer screen. "Could you call someone for me?"  
  
"Hu?"  
  
Five looked to the phone number written upon the flash card pulled from the contact bin and sighed. "Miss Lynn Renix? She seems like someone I should know before she does any trades with my son, and I have little recollection of her."  
  
"Sure thing, bozz," QWERTY smiled and then called.  
  
=  
  
Nearly falling flat to the floor, Lynn caught her phone and held it to her ear as the two youngest bustled out of the house. "Hello? Who is this? How did you get his number?"  
  
"What the- Am!" Jen yelled behind her. Paint flew past with her bags and a Raggedy Ron doll, surpassing the kids with her flight pack.  
  
"Yes, this is Lynn Renix, how may I help you, Mr. Walter? Your son called just this morning. About Hatchet, yes, that one. Um, he didn't tell you?"  
  
There was a pause and Lynn walked forward on to the van, Beeper opening the back door to let her place her suitcase down. "Yes, we are. Six. Myself, Amplified Music Owens, Jeneral Electric Necessity Ramsey, Cassandra Renix-Panere, Beeper Black, and Princess Windsor. Yes, Jeneral with a 'J'. It was an acronym need, I think. Yes, she did come to the manor before, during your ceremonial return!"  
  
"Come on, mom!" Beeper yelled from inside the van. She waved at him and nodded to the other end of the phone. "We're heading to the portal soon. Am and Jen are having a fight over who gets Shotgun, even thought the silent one's already taken it. Thank you, Mr.Walter. See you soon."  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *not actually. i made it up. unless it is, then, dayum. i got skill at guessing.


	144. Making out with a man with no face, Leo gets sobering news and ends up giggling, teenagers! - Whistler

Peter and Vivian strolled hand in hand. Life was good. He saw the ride Leo had mentioned.  
  
"Oh... there it is... Did you want to go in?"  
  
"That the ride in the dark? With no one else to see you?"  
  
"That's it." He sighed. "I'll be honest. It's a scare ride. It's mostly meant for couples to get scared into each others arms and spend the rest of the ride kissing. Kinda silly... oh!"  
  
She had grabbed his hand and was heading for the line.  
  
"Alright! That's my answer..."  
  
She laughed as they got into line. "Did you think I wouldn't want that? I promise you, I want it."  
  
"Me, too..." he breathed. It was a start.  
  
The line shuffled on.  
  
"So..." he said. "Do you care if we have a fancy wedding?"  
  
"I suppose I'd have to know what y'all think fancy is, mon cher. Where I come from, it ain't much."  
  
"Are there any particular wedding traditions of your people that I should know about? I don't have to slay a beast to prove myself or anything, do I?"  
  
She laughed. "You don't even have to ask my father's permission. He passed over seven hundred fifty years ago."  
  
"Oh..." he said softly.  
  
"It's alright. I miss him but it's been a long time. I do wish he could see me now... but he's the reason I'm here. I think I can forgive him for that now."  
  
"You're really eight hundred, then?"  
  
"I am."  
  
He stared at her. "But, how can you want to be with me, then? I must seem so immature to you!"  
  
She laughed. "You're a man, not a child. I can only ask so much of a man, my love. I ain't gonna find anyone my age so expect I'm just gonna have to marry the man I love."  
  
He grinned behind his mask and noticed that the people in front of them in line were looking at them strangely. They hastily turned away. He heard one of them say something about cosplayers.  
  
Once they were on the ride, he was surprised to find Vivian clinging to him right away. He held her gladly.  
  
"You're scared?"  
  
"Startled..." she sighed. "They jump out of the dark so suddenly..."  
  
"And you're used to your nice quiet forest. Well, let's scare them right back."  
  
He took off his mask. The next monster that emerged from the curtained areas let out a sharp EEP and retreated immediately. Vivian laughed as Peter turned back to her.  
  
"That could get us thrown out..." he said.  
  
"Then we shouldn't waste any time," she whispered.  
  
She touched the blue glow of his face, feeling along his cheek until her fingers touched his lips. She gave a little tug on his collar and he leaned forward and kissed her.  
  
He didn't notice how the rest of the cheesy monsters reacted. He was more interested in her reactions. They were very positive.  
  
\-----------  
  
"Ardo!"  
  
"Oh no..."  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Carolina.  
  
"I'll be right..."  
  
"No! I just have a message!"  
  
"Oh... I mean, nothing, just daydreaming..."  
  
"The day you daydream!" she snickered. "Alright. I get it."  
  
She turned back to the others. Leo smiled at the back of her head. She was the best...  
  
He could have sworn Grimm cleared his throat.  
  
"Alright, I'm listening."  
  
"I need you to collect Peter Walter and come and see me at your earliest convenience. Just as long as it is before midnight."  
  
"Why the formality? Why not just snatch us both from wherever we are and 'ave your say?"  
  
"Peter Walter is currently sitting in a little car in the dark, frightening children in hockey masks and fake blood who came to frighten him, as he indulges his mortal appetites in the lips of his betrothed. At this rate, he'll run off to Vegas with her before long and my worries in that area will be gone."  
  
"'e might be 'appier that way..." He could imagine the inflated pomp of the wedding Annie would plan for her son. Bunny would burst a few blood vessels... and he wasn't nuts about it himself.  
  
"I think I need not point out that I would not in any way consider it interfering if you, as his friend, suggested the idea, maybe even accompany him as a witness. As it is, their amateur lips are busy firing up the highly motivating passions that Peter Walter is only just beginning to experience, and I have no interest in slowing progress. Bring him when you find a suitable moment. He will want to come."  
  
"What makes you so sure of zat?"  
  
"Because you will tell him it involves Pine and his recent rash of frightening behavior. If we are unable to prevent the events destined to occur this night, per our contract I will be obliged to destroy the automaton before he can do any harm to the Walter family."  
  
Leo was stunned. "Alright... I'll gladly do as you say. But... wait, why do you call 'im Peter Walter? I get to be Ardo and 'e gets to be 'imself?"  
  
"If you take a moment to consider the alternative, you'll understand. I am not above a filthy joke, far from it, but I am above those on a middle school level. And what with Peter Walter's current activity... no. It's just puerile. Sophomoric. Until we meet."  
  
"Right..." said Leo as Grimm's presence disappeared from his mind.  
  
Leo sipped his drink, thinking. Grimm called people by the last four letters of a person's given name. So if he was Ardo, then Peter was...  
  
He burst into laughter so suddenly that fizz shot out of his nose.  
  
"Ow!" he gasped, still giggling.  
  
Carolina hastily grabbed some napkins, laughing as she patted him down. "What in the world? Did you think of something funny?"  
  
"No... yes... never mind. It was really childish..."  
  
"Tell me later?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
\----------  
  
"Aardvark jackrabbit!"  
  
"You what? Alright, um... Dorkaline!"  
  
"Oh, you can do better than that! Aggravating jerk!"  
  
"Emmeloser!" he shouted.  
  
"Oh, good one!" she laughed. "Angry jerkwad!"  
  
"You already used jerk..." he giggled. "Point reduction."  
  
"Oh, give over!" snapped Boyle, stomping along beside them.  
  
"You feeling left out? Only I'd turn your name into an insult but that's been done."  
  
"AJ!" Steve said sharply. "Over here. Now."  
  
The others stopped walking as AJ slumped away from the others anxiously. He seemed to be making everyone angry lately... but when hadn't he?  
  
"Look, buddy... I'm thrilled that you're getting along with Emmy, but can you take it easy on Boyle? Carol says he's at an awkward age and he doesn't make friends easily. She doesn't believe in reprogramming... he is who he is and she loves him anyway. You have a new friend and he's still... well, he can learn, and he isn't always obnoxious. Keep your cool, alright? I expect better of you than that. I know you've had your share of crap too. Be understanding. We good?"  
  
AJ felt about two inches tall. The guy had been angry about what he did but instead of tearing into him he somehow made him part of helping to fix the problem. What was worse, he remembered earlier in the day... AJ himself hiding under the bleachers yet again. Even though he could turn any of those jerks inside out. Because why get into trouble over them? So why, if he could defend himself, did he sit under the bleachers shaking in fear?  
  
In spite of himself, he was starting to feel sorry for that little twerp. And Steve was mad at him but he was being nice... He'd almost prefer it if Steve yelled at him...  
  
"Yeah. We're good." He trudged back to the others and they continued walking toward the bandstand, Steve and Carol strolling together while the others lagged behind. "Sorry..." he muttered.  
  
Boyle said nothing.  
  
"Oi! I said I was sorry, mate!"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Jerk," Emmeline growled.  
  
"Shut up, Emmy," AJ said mildly. "Let's just leave him alone, okay? I don't feel like apologizing any more today."  
  
He stiffened. He'd almost managed to forget. He still had one more apology left, and they were heading straight toward the recipient... and her tall, powerful boyfriend.  
  
"Bloody he!!..." he muttered.  
  
"What?" Emmeline asked.  
  
"I... pissed off Miss Carolina. She smacked me so hard she broke her hand... I still have to apologize."  
  
"What? What did you do to her?" Emmy asked, suddenly indignant.  
  
Great, another one mad. "Forget it. You're already mad. I don't feel like talking about it."  
  
"I'll find out."  
  
"Do your worst."  
  
"You better not have grabbed her bum!"  
  
"What? I never!"  
  
She humphed and marched on ahead. So much for his new best friend.  
  
"Women, right?" said a quiet voice.  
  
He looked at Boyle, surprised. The oval bot smiled, and AJ was surprised to see that he didn't look creepy at all like that.  
  
"She's always having bloody mood swings. 'Swhy Mum made her a girl robot. She'll forget all about it in ten minutes, tops."  
  
"You're kidding..."  
  
"Straight on, mate."  
  
Emmeline jogged back to them. "We forgot to ride the Hammer, AJ! After dinner? It'll be bloody terrifying in the dark!"  
  
AJ gaped at her and stifled a laugh. Ten minutes? More like ten seconds! "Oh, sure. I'm up for it," he giggled.  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked. "His face?"  
  
"Well, yeah! It's not like I picked it out," Boyle replied.  
  
"I know, right?" she snorted. "It's like she thought you was a kewpie doll!"  
  
"Because she still thinks of us as twins."  
  
"Ugh, yeah!" she groaned.  
  
AJ watched them, bemused. Well, this worked, too. Everyone he knew was weird, he was coming to accept that. But so was he... and two friends were a lot more than he'd had that morning.  
  
Maybe he could just manage to cope with apologizing to Carolina for something he was still kicking himself for doing... not that he'd ever admit that.  
  



	145. AJ's apology, the visitors arrive and get a tour - NinjaPastry

Janelle laughed at Leo as Carolina helped him wipe the fizz from his nose and Matt snickered. Michael was busy being entranced by the music, for his eyes were shut and his mind was ticking away (quite literally). Janelle looked over at him with a smile. His eyes shut, his face in deep concentration. It was a wonder how New Girl had ever fallen in love with him.  
  
She could barely remember how when she first powered up as The Wheel, Michael's face was the first her eyes met and the first they set a spark with. Those baby blues with a smile behind; it was breathtaking back then and breathtaking now. However, his eyes were shut in lust of music, and her hands were tapping along to the beat. Matt took notice.  
  
"If we brought your dub-board, we could get up there and jam," he said, taking her trance on Michael away. She nodded, looking over to him. "But, all that's up there is drums and a guitar."  
  
"Madame Walter," Leo said, wiping his nose, "If I download a song to your data base, would you be able to sing it?"  
  
"If I listen to it I could. Perfectly."  
  
"Here," Leo said, taking out his phone and handing it to her. She put the speaker to her ear and listened to it, then handed it to Matt so he could. Once he was done, Janelle held it to Michael's ear and he listened to that with the same concentrated face. As they sat there and talked over it, AJ approached the table. His freckled face was a light shade of pink and his long curly black hair was over half of his face.  
  
Leo abruptly stood, standing between the boy and his lady. "What do you want?"  
  
AJ sighed. He looked back at Boyle, Steve, Emmy, and Carol. They seemed a bit preoccupied listening to the music, but were still looking over at him.  
  
"I've come 'ere to apologize."  
  
"To Carolina?"  
  
"Oui," he mocked. Leo glared down at him and stood a bit to the side so AJ could approach. Carolina slid over, a slight jump of fear once she noticed him. Her terrified look stared at AJ. What was leo thinking?  
  
"Admin, go away," she demanded softly He could tell she was scared. Her arm was properly cast, as he noticed, and a few "get wells" had already decorated it. Looked like the new two Walters, Michael, Peter, Spine, and what looked like Tom's.  
  
"I'm here to apologize, wench, now accept it so I can go and humiliate a dragon."  
  
"No! I will not!"  
  
"Accept it!" he yelled. Leo grabbed AJ by the throat and hoisted him up off the pavement. "I can't choke, ninny-muggins."  
  
"Don't use insults from Elf," Leo scowled. "You were not forgiven, thus, you leave," he said. "Steve, take him," he said as he held him out. AJ looked like a ragdoll in the hand of Leo. It was actually quite amusing. Steve stepped closer and took the bot from Leo's hand, pushing him to join the others.  
  
"If need, tell his mama," Leo laughed. "She'd be ever so pleased." Steve smiled evilly and nodded, saluting the Colonel. He saluted back and turned around, seeing Matt, Janelle, and Michael up on the stage. What performance-whorez.  
  
As soon as Michael and Matt started the beat and basic tune, Leo sat down with a smile. Just perfect. Thank Peter for their instant adaption to different languages, not to mention their skills with instantly learning music and so on.  
  
All was small and slightly ear-catching until Janelle started singing. Her cute black and pink dress and Converse boots that went up to her knees were captivating. And she was singing in French. Leo was absolutely pleased, and Carolina looked appalled at how well Janelle could manage that vabratto.  
  
She looked so into the song, for she was. She felt the pain and the sorrow of it, the sweet suffering. Carolina looked like she was tearing up, even. Leo sat down and wrapped his arms around her, noticing how more people were coming to watch and listen to the young lady on the stage.  
  
He saw Michael was recording it on stage, possibly for either YouTube or for Peter to see while he was gone. He'd love this.  
  
=  
  
Gross. Noon, no food, a swirling portal in front of them, and news that riot gear was pulled. Probably when they got to San Diego someone would make them lunch or something. The midwest was a scary place for a rich lady, especially in that moment they were trapped in*. Lynn looked around, her children standing in a line with the blue portal glowing and pulsating. Her drew her phone from her pocket while she watched the kids.  
  
"Mr. Walter, yes it's me again, is the portal up? Yes? Good. Thank you. I'll see you in a little while."  
  
She hung up her phone and nodded at A.M. She stepped through and disappeared. Jen followed, Paint next, Beeper, and then Princess. Lynn took a breath and stepped through, waving to her sister as she did so. She felt as if she were flying, then felt hands grab under her arms and help her stand. She opened her eyes to see all five of them in the darkened room, some workers around them.  
  
"Welcome to Walter Manor," a woman said. "'m Miss Chels, and this is my boyfriend, Mister Sam. Would you like something to eat?"  
  
She nodded, a bit dizzy, and was handed a water by a very tall man. "Here you go, Miss Lynn. I'm Master David, my twin sister Master Bunny is around here somewhere. She and I will take you to your rooms."  
  
"Thank you," she said, finding her step and standing by herself. "That portal is... woah," she laughed. Bunny walked in and waved at Jen happily. Jen hugged her and they rejoiced, reunited as the friends they are.  
  
"Follow me," David smiled. The bots and Lynn followed kindly, up a staircase, past a few offices and living rooms, past a spiral staircase, and then into an elevator. They made their way down a hallway and David stopped.  
  
Lynn peered into the large room with seven beds, the pictures above them, the same one Carol and Emmy stayed in while they were there. "If you'd like separate rooms, let me know."  
  
Lynn walked in and sat on the bed with Rabbit's portrait above it, packing her things away int he dresser she now shared with Princess. Paint took the bed on he other side of the room, A.M. taking the one two beds over. If it was anything Paint needed, it was space. She actually flew out of the room, Lynn supposing she wanted a room to herself.  
  
Princess looked up to the portrait of UpGrade and smiled. "Mummy, she loks 'ust lak me," she smiled. Lynn nodded and laughed. "Fink I coul' meet ha?"  
  
"Probably," Lynn said, looking over at Jen look at Jon's portrait. A/M/ was transfixed with how similar her and Rabbit looked, not realizing that the Walters gave the Renixes the old face plates or extras Rabbit didn't want. But now she was just staring at Hatchet's portrait she was going to sleep under. Beeper found himself under Hatchworth's and laughed.  
  
"Hey, mom," he said, "This looks like Sam, the guy we just met."  
  
"He kind of does, yeah," Lynn agreed. "A bit more, stiff, but very similar indeed."  
  
"And this guy," Jen referred to Spine's portrait, "Looks like David."  
  
"How strange... I'll have to bring that up to Mr. Walter, hm?"  
  
Jen stood from her bed after unpacking and walked out. David returned with small bags for the children.  
  
"Sadly, Mr. Walter the Sixth isn't in the manor, but, eh did leave gifts for Beeper and Princess."  
  
"Can we open them?" Beeper asked. Lynn nodded and the two ripped open the bags, each pulling out new hats. Princess got a crown, however, which was all the merrier.  
  
"It says St. Louis on it, mom!" Beeper smiled and put it upon his blonde hair. Princess took her own tiara off and put the new one on, looking at David. He gave her a thumbs up and she giggled, Lynn looking ever so happy.  
  
"Tell Six I said thank you," she smiled.  
  
"Of course. Dinner is served at 6 and en has offered her help."  
  
"As always, my little Ramsey."  
  
"Ramsey?" David asked. "As in Chef Gordon Ramsey?"  
  
"He designed her, I built her. He owned her for a while, gave her away to a crew for an air ship, and then had her returned to me."  
  
"Amazing! No wonder she's such a magnificent chef!"  
  
"And A.M. was built by Craig Owens, a rock star."  
  
"He's a metal star, mom," she droned.  
  
"And he's all about the bass, no question." A.M. shot up and glared at her.  
  
"I know I'm fat, but you don't have to make fun of me for it. I like being this way. It sets me apart from all the other androids in the Americas."  
  
"Calm down, please," Lynn instructed. A.M. suddenly walked out without another word. "Craig is bipolar," Lynn added. David made an "ahh that would explain it" face and nodded. He took a set on the bed next to her and smiled.  
  
"So, tell me about the others."  
  
"Princess was designed by the Queen of England for her son, William. Seeing as he's married now, and with child, he had no need for Princess, and he found me and gave her to me. Beeper was built fr submarines, as an alarm system. The crew died but Beeper was the only one to survive and the captain's wife had no place for him, tracked me down, and gave him to me."  
  
"You have quite the family," David laughed.  
  
"Quite so. I owe my late husband the honor of having our own child, Cassandra. When she was 11 she was nearly killed in a horrid arsenal to a building she was keeping watch for an art show and was nearly killed. He and I fixed her right back up and that's when our poor Hatchet joined Death's army to keep her alive for a while."  
  
"That's why Hatchet was so scared?"  
  
"I do believe so," Lynn sighed. "They're just so frail when it comes to the other."  
  
"Well, no they're both safe. I'll make sure lunch is on it's way to you. The others should be coming home soon... Hatchworth is somewhere around here, as well. Maybe you could find him and talk with him, if you'd like? He makes the best sammiches, too."  
  
"Thank you, David." And with that he was gone.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *(Not necessarily in the entire midwest, just Ferguson. I love it to death, but, yeah. It gets dangerous.)


	146. AJ sulking, The Spine finds out what AJ really did and loses it - Whistler

Hatchet touched The Spine's arm. He jumped, crying out. She heard his throat click shut and the sound was cut short as people around him looked back in surprise.  
  
"You startled me..." he said, forcing a laugh. The humans smiled with understanding and turned away.  
  
"Shall we meet the others?" she asked gently. What had come over him, poor thing? "They're all gathering in the concession area. AJ should be there by now."  
  
"Oh! Yes, of course... I'd like to go on some rides with him."  
  
She smiled and took the arm he offered. "So would I!"  
  
By the time they arrived, everyone else was there. Peter sat close to Vivian, their hands entwined. Hatchet glanced at her husband and he looked back with the barest twitch of a smile. Things were going well!  
  
AJ was slumped at the end of the group, literally seething. There was a thin cloud of steam rising from him. Hatchet hastily scooped up a water bottle and hurried over to talk to him, The Spine close behind her.  
  
"What's he playing at?" she hissed. "He'll spoil his makeup and someone will notice!"  
  
"He looks angry."  
  
"He always looks angry, love."  
  
She slipped into the seat beside him, giving a little nod to Emmeline and Boyle. She started to turn toward AJ.  
  
"Wait..." she murmured. "Who are you two?"  
  
AJ sat in sulky silence.  
  
"I'm Emmeline! You never saw me in makeup, I expect. This is my little bother..."  
  
"We're twins, junkbot!"  
  
"Oh, shut yehr noise, Boyle..."  
  
"Both of you shut up! I'm not havin' it right now..." snapped AJ.  
  
"AJ!" Hatchet gasped. "Don't... look, what's the matter, darling?"  
  
She stroked his hair. He slapped her hand away lightly. The Spine, who had sat on her other side, reached around her and caught AJ by the hand.  
  
"Mind your manners," he intoned. "Keep your hands off of my wife if you aren't going to be respectful."  
  
"Lovely!" barked AJ. "Now everyone hates me!"  
  
He crawled under the table.  
  
"Oh, for the love of... no one hates you, darling!"  
  
"Carolina does!" came his muffled voice. "And Dad! And Steve! And everybody!"  
  
"What?" she gasped.  
  
"Did I hear my name?" asked Steve.  
  
"It's alright, Steve..." said Emmeline. "AJ's just gone spare..."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Fine, brat! We'll go on the Hammer without you!"  
  
"Do it! You'll like it better without me!"  
  
"Get out from under the bloody table!" Hatchet growled, fed up with the entire thing. "Will somebody bloody tell me what's the matter with this child!"  
  
"Relax, Hatchet..." Steve said in the lowest voice he could manage, creeping down a few seats to sit beside Boyle. "He apologized to Carolina and she wasn't interested in accepting."  
  
"What?" she said sharply. She glared at Carolina. Carolina glared calmly back. Hatchet was impressed in spite of herself... even knowing that Hatchet now answered to Leo. It took iron will to glare at an angry Reaper.  
  
"She needs some time, okay? She has a broken hand and Leo was muttering something real quiet about postponed showers... I ain't asking about that... but he seemed pretty ticked off about it. Anyway, he did compel her so..."  
  
"What?" The Spine asked, looking up sharply from peering under the table.  
  
"Well, yeah, he used some power of his to make her..."  
  
"You said you made a crude remark!" snapped The Spine.  
  
"Aw, bloody sainted..." Hatchet began. "Maybe we should discuss this at home..."  
  
"No!" cried AJ.  
  
"Awwww," groaned Emmeline.  
  
The Spine was trembling. "You _forced_ her... you forced her to do what?"  
  
The table thumped violently as AJ scrambled out from under at the furthest possible point from his father. He was wide-eyed with fear. "Nothing! Nothing, I just got her to want me for a second and it wore off! I'm sorry!"  
  
_"You never force anyone to do anything!"_ The Spine snarled, his fingers curling into the surface of the table. Steve inched away. Boyle had already run to the other end of the table.  
  
"Al-alright... I w-w-w-won't, Dad! I-I promise I won't!"  
  
Hatchet stared back and forth between them, genuinely alarmed. In a voice she forced to be calm, she said, "Maybe you should go on with your friends, love. Alright? We can talk about this when we've all calmed down."  
  
Emmeline jumped to her feet. "Right! Mum, we're going on the Hammer!"  
  
"But..." AJ gasped.  
  
"Boyle can stand on the ground and watch. Come on!"  
  
The three of them ran for it.  
  
Hatchet turned back to The Spine. Leo was already there. He had one hand on the titanium robot's shoulder in a gesture that looked casual... even friendly. But she could sense that it was the only thing restraining her husband's angry response.  
  
"Let me go..." The Spine whispered. "Please..."  
  
"Are you asking me, or someone we can't see?" Leo asked gently. The Spine was staring into space, not seeing any of them anymore. Oil began to run slowly from his eyes, cutting through his makeup in trails.  
  
Peter was rushing to them. "What in the world! Someone's gonna see, Spine!"  
  
"Please... don't hurt her..."  
  
"Hurt who?"  
  
"'e's in a trance," Leo said. "I guess zat's what you'd call it. Pardon." He and The Spine vanished.  
  
Hatchet gasped. "Leo!" she cried. She waved her hand to follow...  
  
And was still sitting at the cracked picnic table. She swore out loud.  
  
Leo returned a moment later. "'e's restrained until we can 'elp 'im," he told Hatchet.  
  
"Where?" she almost sobbed, frustrated at being kept away from him when he was hurting.  
  
"It is best you don't know yet. Peter and I must go and see Grimm."  
  
"And you're just going to leave me here without him, not knowing what he's going through, not able to help him! I can't even travel!"  
  
"Your power will be restored once Grimm 'as told us what is wrong."  
  
He turned to Peter who took a step backward, his hands held out in front of him.  
  
"Whoa, whoa... wait just a minute now... why do I have to go see him?"  
  
"Weren't you listening? Ze Spine is struggling with some memory he cannot 'andle. I 'ave been told to come and see 'im and bring you."  
  
"Ah. Yes, of course. If it's to help The Spine. Yes. Alright." He turned to Vivian. "I'll see you in a while, okay?"  
  
"Of course, cher. Gods be with you."  
  
"Um... thanks. It's gonna be okay, Hatchet. Alright?"  
  
"I guess it'll bloody _have_ to be..."  
  
Peter turned to Leo and they vanished.


	147. Peter reviews the memory file, helping Paint settle in - NinjaPastry

Leo felt his helmet atop his head and sighed. Grimm and his dress-up games. He looked over to Peter. His face had returned, the mask in floating splinters round his feet. Leo gasped. He hadn't seen Peter's real face in years other than in pictures. Ginger? Who knew!  
  
"I'm..." Peter started, but stopped. He felt at his face and stifled a laugh, smiling over at Leo. Leo returned the smile, but then Peter screamed. He saw Leo's hollowed out eyes with the Rabbit-like lights, the entire left side of his face missing, only cracked skull, and his bottom jaw was missing. He purely looked like War-Rabbit. Funny, for the bot was the one who burned his ear off in the first place, and since then after done worse to the same ear.  
  
Before her transition, Rabbit once shoved a crayon into Leo's ear after he had gotten plastic surgery to fix it and it undid all of the stitching and completely voided any surgery to it from then on out. She's also burned it more, while Leo was awake. An iron and a sedative later, Leo's ear was shriveled and burned so badly... but now there was nothing.  
  
"What?" Leo asked from nothing.  
  
"Um..." Peter looked at the floating head upon the body. He had no neck. He had to ask about that story. "Nothing. Where is he?"  
  
Leo walked towards the iron doors and opened them with a large push, waving for Peter to follow him. he walked onward, the splinters following him as he walked, a distant but familiar memory.  
  
"Il... Il y a tableu-" Leo stopped walking, as well as talking. Apparently now he couldn't speak any English. Just French. Best to keep his mouth shut... "Moi silence," he said. Hopefully that would get across to Peter. And it did. Silence (seelahnce) sounds too similar to silence (sigh-lence), and Peter knew moi meant I, so he nodded and kept following Leo.  
  
They walked into a workshop, The Spine tied to a table. He looked like Walter 1's War Spine blueprint...Suddenly the air around him set flame and he was back to the last Peter saw him: Spencer Walter. The bots all had code names if they were to go into public. Kind of how there's a Ken to Barbie and it can either be cupboard or cabinet and people will still know what you're talking about?  
  
Well, the bots all had names. Human names. Hatchet was still Hatchet, not being in the group at the time of the decision. Rabbit's would be Ruth (Which used to be Rookie), Spine is Spencer, UpGrade would be Winny, Hatchworth to be Wilson; Jon's was a given, as well as Jan's, Matt's, and Michael's.  
  
So there Spencer/Spine/Pine stood, tied down to a table as Ardo and Peter walked in. He was in stasis, so it sounded, and tools were put out for the mechaniman to be dissected with.  
  
"Well, go ahead, fix my drone," Grimm said as he appeared from behind Pine. Leo didn't jump, but face-ful Peter did. He was taken aback by the reaper's presence and then quickly jumped and walked briskly to Spine's side.  
  
"Sure thing, Grimm. I'll fix my friend for us."  
  
"Not for me? Dearest mortal, you have made a terrible mistake mouthing off to me."  
  
"I just don't want to be here. I just got engaged," he grumbled as he waled to the table and took off the top of Spine's head. Leo walked over and shoved a few cords in there, Grimm making a screen appear.  
  
"Sit back boys," Grimm instructed. "This should be good."  
  
"You say that as if it's not."  
  
"If Hatchet is freaking out so much about it," Grimm left the rest alone, Leo and Peter stepping back to see what was on the screen.  
  
"Memory restore files," Peter shouted. The screen lit up and memories flashed around, but one made Peter stop the playback. Hatchet's eyes weer... red?  
  
He played it slowly, clicking through frame by frame. Hatchet seemed not entirely herself. Knowing her as well as Peter did, she was more scary than ever in this playback. She seemed like she was pinning him down. Letters flashed across the screen, possibly ones Spine kept mental notes of.  
  
"Sensor 24 disabled. Sensor 25 damaged. Sensor 24 enabled. 24 damaged. ERROR 404"  
  
"Oh my God!" Peter shouted, stepping back with his hands over his mouth. Leo looked away and let out a shaky sigh, Peter's eyes glued to the screen, dispirit his efforts of trying to look away.  
  
"This was when Hatchet's clone, Tomahawk, decided it would be joyful to send succubi all around the manor."  
  
"I know, I remember that... But... Spine..." Peter finally looked away and shut his eyes, his head low. "Jeeze, I had no idea..."  
  
"And now he needs to back up system files and we can't risk deleting this-"  
  
"And we can't risk keeping it in the over-world." Peter looked to Grimm and Grimm shut the screen off. "What do we do?"  
  
"What do humans do?"  
  
"We get therapists. People who can get rid of PTSD, or at least help us through it, help us better control it. I read somewhere in my great-great grandpappy's books that the main five had gone though many therapists before they could start getting over the war, and many wars after."  
  
"Good. He'll remember, but he'll forget. A win-win situation for the both of us, Mr. Walter. Now, when you return with him to the over world, get him home quickly. Get him rest. Hatchet needs to know none of this, just tell her to be careful around him, tell her not to push him, smack him, hurt him in any way. Gentle Hatchet is better for him right now."  
  
"As I would suspect. Thank you, Grimm."  
  
"Begone with all of you!"  
  
Suddenly Peter found himself sitting on the toilet in the restroom, his mask returned to his face and his clothes not slowly burning away from it, despite the heat in the restroom. He stood, flushed the toilet for no reason, and ran out. Hatchet sat at the table with the two kids and Michael, a sad look on her face. As nice as it was to see her upset, destroyed, it kinda hurt. She did save his life, after all.  
  
"Hatchet," Peter called, "Have you seen Spine?"  
  
"No, and I don't know why Leo wouldn't let me see. Grimm... oh he's going to get it..."  
  
"No no, don't wish revenge on anyone right now, okay? We need to find Spin-"  
  
"Peter!" Leo shouted. Peter looked over towards the concession stands and saw "Spencer" laying on the ground. Leo sat him up and Peter ran over. The concession man handed Leo a cup of water and Leo made him drink it down before his eyes opened to that familiar hazel-green colour he and Rabbit shared (at the time).  
  
"Spencer?" Leo asked. "Ah you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, just... I think I over heated..."  
  
"Gotta stop wearing black pants in the summer, dude." Peter laughed, convincing the man at the stand everything was alright. "Let's get you back to... Holly and AJ, okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Spine said as Leo stood him up. "That'd be nice. Is AJ riding rides with Emmy and Boyle?" he asked as they walked away. And who was- Ohh, Holly was Hatchet. Nice thinking Peter, Spine thought as they walked back to the table.  
  
=  
  
"Here ya go," David smiled. Paint slid into the tippy-top room of the entire manor: the butterfly room. She saw a bed set up for her, a small dresser at the foot of it, and butterflies of wind-up wonders all around her. Her breath was taken as she sat down, watching the stained glass creations flutter about.  
  
"Do you like it?"  
  
Paint nodded and smiled at David past her hair that covered the half of open muscle on her face. Her father could never afford more parts to cover the muscle on her face, collar bone, and calf. She bent down and took off the blood-soaked gauze, cringing. David gagged a bit at the smell and held up a finger.  
  
"D to S, we need a medical kit in the BR. ASAP," David said, his finger in his ear. He took his hand down and smiled at Paint. "It's a comm system our boss designed for the entire manor. And lucky teenager you, we have wi-fi."  
  
Paint smiled and pulled a laptop out of her bag, setting Raggedy Ron onto the bed and opening the laptop with a smile. She looked over at David and started typing, then turned it around. "Thank you" it read. David bowed just as Sam rushed in with the kit.  
  
Sam was quickly disgusted and turned around, making a hurling sound, but no splash was made afterwards.  
  
"Dear Walter what s that smell?!" he asked, Paint slowly raising her hand. Sam sighed and made a "sorry" face and walked over to her. "Good thing I can breathe out of my mouth, huh?" Paint smiled and nodded.  
  
"Gauze around her eye, calf, and shoulder, Sammy."  
  
"Got it, David. You can go."  
  
There was no hesitation for David to leave. A couple of butterflies landed on Sam's head, then a couple more. Soon there was a wind-up congregation upon Sam's bald head, making Paint laugh hysterically. Sam smiled and continued to wrap up her calf, then sat back.  
  
"You'll need to take off your shirt for me to get to your shoulder."  
  
Paint slid off her shirt, thankful she decided to wear a tank top under, and slipped the strap off. She extended her arm for Sam to get to it, the man surprised at all the fluid mechanics in her system. Her arm itself was all robotics, but her shoulder was a fluid mash of human and robot parts.  
  
"Mr. Walter would love to see how you're made," Sam said to her. She raised her eyebrow and he nodded. "Yeah! You're magnificently made!"  
  
Paint smiled and he finished up her shoulder. She flapped her arm like a wing and nodded, then moved her hair from her face. Sam gasped and Paint sighed.  
  
"Does it hurt? To move your face?" Sam asked. She shook her head. It kinda did but not that much. Sam looked closer, holding back her hair for her. Her hairline was lined with brass metal, some silicone, and then dipped into her actual muscle. Her eye socket was bare, nothing but an empty crevice and a piece of silicone in the back, dyed red with blood.  
  
And then her jaw line at the top was lined with the same brass metal and silicone, then to her fake skin and metal mandible. It was magnificent. He placed a piece of gauze over her eye and taped it down, helping her fix her hair over it. She smiled at him and he left without a word. However, he had lots to tell Five and Six!  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the wonderful idea that Peter Six looked like a more ginger Anthony Rapp if he didn't have glasses on :D


	148. Discussing mental health issues, David discusses a stag party - Whistler

The Spine and Hatchet hurried ahead to find AJ. Peter had his doubts about whether AJ wanted them to catch up, but he didn't stop them. He was feeling a bit wrung out and looking forward to going home. He had one arm around Vivian and was holding Janelle's hand on the other side, and that helped. A lot.  
  
He'd never felt much like the family type... mostly he just felt like a confused, nerdy bachelor with a whole house full of quirky and dangerous orphans. Even his interns were a menace. But here he was, engaged and soon to be a husband... and already a father. Janelle had clearly taken to him and he could only assume it was because he was as unlike her father as any man could be. After what he'd heard about the man, he was fairly proud of that. And Matt liked him, but he could tell the whole idea of being adopted just amused the drummer... considering his age.  
  
Steve Negrete jogged backward from his wife and fell in beside Vivian. "Hey! I heard Leo telling Hatchet something... sorry, I wasn't trying to hear but, y'know, dragon ears."  
  
"What? Don't they have some kind of mind thing they do now?" Peter asked uneasily.  
  
Steve shrugged. Apparently the idea that he could hear shared thoughts wasn't that impressive to him. "So, what, The Spine is having a hard time? I mean, he's moody as He!!... ohh, bad choice of words... Anyway, did your dad mention my grandma?"  
  
Peter looked behind him as if to see the conversation whiz past his head. "What? What about your grandma, Steve?" he asked, exasperated.  
  
"She's the best! She's worked with Freud and Jung since she and grandpa moved here two hundred years ago but she's totally modern, loads of common sense..."  
  
"Whoa, wait! Are you telling me your grandma is the shrink my dad told me about?"  
  
"Psychologist."  
  
"Whatever. Dad said she couldn't handle The Spine."  
  
"What?" Steve asked incredulously. "She can totally handle him!"  
  
"No, wait... he said The Spine's problems were over her head..."  
  
"Oh, yeah, well... she is pretty tiny."  
  
"Ah." That explained the laughter. Puns.  
  
"Alright, good. You should call her. Ask me anytime you need the number." He started to jog forward again.  
  
"Steve?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Now would be good."  
  
"Oh, alright, I'll send it to your phone." He returned to Carol and started typing busily into his cell.  
  
"What's wrong with The Spine?" Janelle asked worriedly. "Why does he need a psychologist?"  
  
Peter jumped. He hadn't forgotten she was holding his hand, but he had sort of forgotten that she was listening to every word they said.  
  
"It's okay, Jan..."  
  
"Don't patronize me!" she snapped, letting his hand go and folding her arms. "I'm young but I've seen enough crap... just tell me what's going on!"  
  
"Alright, alright..." he said in the calmest voice he could manage, remembering that she would be seeing the therapist too. She was wound pretty tight... even at the fair. "You'll have to keep it to yourself, though. The Spine and Hatchet both aren't to hear one word yet."  
  
Her angry expression vanished. "Alright," she said, eyes wide.  
  
"He was attacked, Jan. Back when the demons were in the house. We all were, but most of us dodged them one way or another. The Spine didn't. As far as I know, he's the only one they successfully attacked."  
  
"Successfully..." she whispered. looking toward The Spine, now far ahead with the others. "You mean... they hurt him..."  
  
"Yes. He doesn't remember exactly. I have to unlock the memory later and have him work through it... it's going to require professional counseling and hopefully a really strong room..."  
  
Janelle had fallen silent.  
  
"Jan?"  
  
"You're going to have all of us see a psychologist, aren't you?"  
  
"I'd like you to, yes. Matt and Mike died in a violent car crash and went through some startling transitions since then. And you've been through worse. The Spine will have to get help, there's just no way around it. I won't force you to go, but will you see her, too?"  
  
"I don't know..." she said, a note of panic in her voice.  
  
"Oh... calm down..." he began, feeling panicky himself. "Vivian..." he whispered. "Help!"  
  
Vivian smiled and walked around to Janelle. "Come on, now, baby. You don't have to answer yet, a'ight?" she said, putting an arm around the girl's waist. "You take yo' time and think it over. We're here to have fun, right?"  
  
"Yeah..." Janelle said quietly.  
  
Michael hurried over to them. He'd been giggling with Matt over a cell phone the entire time. "Hey! Why are you crying, Jan?"  
  
"Am I?" she asked, touching her face. "Real tears..." she sighed. "Oh... um..."  
  
She was looking toward The Spine. She glanced at Peter and said, "Peter thinks we should see a psychologist because of the scary stuff we've seen."  
  
Michael laughed. He slowly stopped and looked at Peter. "What, seriously?"  
  
"If you want to..." Peter said quickly.  
  
"I'm fine..."  
  
"I'd be less afraid if I know you're seeing her too," said Jan.  
  
Michael stuttered whatever he'd been about to say. With a deep sigh, he said, "Okay. If you think it's best, Peter."  
  
"She's supposed to be very good. It's Steve's grandma."  
  
Michael gasped. "No way! I'd see her for that alone! I can see her now, little old lady with dreads and a mustache..."  
  
Jan giggled and Peter relaxed. He had been sure for a moment she was going to meltdown. Figuratively speaking. But here she'd even gotten Michael to cooperate... and Matt would probably go just because of his little sister.  
  
His phone beeped. He pulled it out to make the call and saw that he had two messages; Steve's, and one from Leo. Leo was far ahead but looking back over his shoulder. Peter read the message quickly.  
  
"Seems Grimm neglected to tell us that The Spine is scheduled to have a nightmare tonight that will trigger his memory files and send him on a murderous rampage."  
  
"What?" cried Peter.  
  
The others looked at him in surprise. "Sorry, just reading my Tumblr..." he said sheepishly.  
  
He texted back, "How could he not tell us that?"  
  
"Well, he did but apparently he sees that as an afterthought. Look, he says Hatchet will need to bolt The Spine down and get out of there until it passes. She must do nothing to remind him that her body was used to hurt him."  
  
"Why does she have to bolt him down? Rabbit and Hatchworth could do it and she wouldn't have to be near him at all."  
  
"It's going to be after they... y'know."  
  
"Oh, for crap sake."  
  
"Ikr?"  
  
In text form, he sounded like the same old Leo instead of a cologne ad. It was nice, or would have been if the news had been better. Although, come to think of it, Leo had usually shown up with disturbing revelations, from telling him Rabbit had found the ice cream to telling him that he had a horrible disease... although he did appreciate not dying.  
  
"Thank you," Peter texted.  
  
"You're thanking me for that?"  
  
"That and a lot of things. But yeah, that. It beats not being told, doesn't it?"  
  
"Touche."  
  
Peter pocketed his phone and realized that somewhere in the middle of his texting, he had been pulled into the line for The Hammer, which was nothing but a hugely tall, double-ended mallet of a ride. Each car was claustrophobically small, at least to Peter it was. And The Spine, a little way ahead of him, was staring into the car and not moving.  
  
"Uh-oh..." said Jan.  
  
He could hear Hatchet speaking. "Darling, I don't feel easy about this ride. How about we give it a miss and let the children ride it without us?"  
  
He seemed to snap out of a trance. "Yes," he said, turning to her. "Of course, if you're not comfortable, love. I'm after being a bit uneasy myself..."  
  
He looked a little disoriented as she led him out of the exit. Peter saw the fear in her eyes as they passed by, a fear that had nothing whatever to do with the ride. But he was impressed. Leo had told her Grimm's instructions and she was handling The Spine smoothly.  
  
"Cher..." whispered Vivian as The Hammer whirled to life with AJ, Emmeline, Steve and Carol inside, and Boyle watching from a safe distance. "I know she done made that up to spare his feelings but... I tell you what, my love, I ain't goin' on that thing!"  
  
She was breathing hard. He put his arms around her and felt her trembling. How about that, he thought. You could live eight hundred years and still not have seen everything...  
  
He held her firmly and she clung to him. Outside of her fear, it was hard to see a down side to the situation. He saw Janelle smiling at them over Vivian's head. "We'll let all of you go," he said, relieved. He hadn't wanted to ride it either! "If you want, I mean..."  
  
Janelle laughed. "I'm not afraid. I've seen enough... This thing is nothing."  
  
He chuckled and led Vivian back through the line, wondering why so many people wanted to ride the silly thing. Janelle had died and didn't fear death anymore. What was their excuse?  
  
"I think we'll head home soon," he told her as they strolled toward Hatchet and The Spine.  
  
"Oh, good. These floppy shoes are startin' to hurt."  
  
There was only one chair left at the tables where the others sat, and Peter got to do something that had always looked rather fun to him. He pulled Vivian down to sit on his lap. She smiled rather shyly and settled against his shoulder.  
  
Yes. This was good.  
  
\----------  
  
David was giggling. "Alright, we'll come up with some ideas. But they haven't even set a date yet, right?"  
  
"No, but they're on each other like wallpaper, I swear!" Michael laughed. Matt was snickering in the background. "And Annie wants to be a grandma so bad that I'm betting he'll be in front of a judge or preacher within the month."  
  
"Holy crap, Mike! My head's still spinning from the news and you tell me that? She's gonna trash this house and guess who will have to clean it up? And Bunny's gonna be a nightmare to live with until things are back to normal..."  
  
"Well, maybe get her to throw a hen party? That is what they call it, right?"  
  
"I dunno. Hey, should we get a stripper?"  
  
"You gonna pay for her?"  
  
"Who says I was gonna get a girl stripper? Maybe I hire a guy. Maybe I just get Guy. He probably wants to do it."  
  
"Yeah, you're hilarious..."  
  
"Sorry, I'm a little punchy. I was up late."  
  
"Oh... anything to do with a pretty jackelope?"  
  
Matt was snickering again. "Shut up. She... we don't. She's a sweet girl..."  
  
"Sorry, man. I didn't know it was like that."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like... well... Vivian and Peter."  
  
"We're not getting married!" David snapped.  
  
Funny thing was, he was pretty sure they weren't, but... That whole wanting to be her mate thing was still a little hazy. She hadn't said anything about doing any actual mating, though, and he'd been pretty happy just having the role of boyfriend and getting to kiss her a lot...  
  
"No, I mean... you guys haven't..."  
  
"I have! Well, in the past... with someone else... look, we're getting off the subject!"  
  
"You're a good boy, David," Mike said warmly.  
  
"Cram it, Mike..."  
  
"Alright." More giggling. "We'll discuss party plans later. Matt's wandered off anyway."  
  
"Alright. Bye." He hung up quickly. That had gotten way too personal.  
  
And it was none of Mike's danged business anyway! But the fact was... he wasn't sure she even knew how humans... did things, and from what he could gather, jackelopes only mated to produce offspring.  
  
He just wasn't going there. No way. Let the Walters reproduce, and Sam and Chelsea... for all he knew, Gabi would have a litter anyway...  
  
He was relieved when Bunny interrupted his awkward train of thought with more work.  
  



	149. Preparations and Youtuber gripes, Where's AJ? - NinjaPastry

Her black bob cut bounced as she jumped to a stop next to her older brother. The man took a step back, wondering what she was so eager about. She looked up at him and realized she had either been chased by a robot and was getting of an excitement high or thought of whatever she needed to tell him and was instantly sad. Her clipboard, decorated with black and white swirls and checkers, was in her hands.  
  
"Yes?" David asked in along, questionable state. He didn't really want to hear what she had to say, but she was there and had to say something.  
  
She hesitated, looked to her clipboard, then smiled. "Ian and Ray would like to talk to you. Something about Anthony being a vampire and all that."  
  
"You seemed happy to tell me."  
  
"No, Hatchworth was chasing me down. His boiler was over heating but he wanted a hug." David sighed and nodded, stepping away from her and suddenly feeling his phone vibrate in his hand. Bunny trotted away and screamed, Hatchworth chasing her down again down the hallway.  
  
With a smile David checked his messages, seeing one from Leo. He opened it and groaned, rolling his eyes. "Board the windows and reinforce the vault #666. Spine is a danger tonight."  
  
David shut his phone off and slipped it into his pocket, looking at his watch. Nearly two. Paint was situated, Lynn and the others were comfy, Beeper was sitting in living room 8 watching SpongeBob with Princess, and Jen was talking to Ro about dinner service. Maybe A.M. could help with sound-proofing the vault associated with Leo's text. Whatever he needed it for was a mystery, other than the note of Spine being a danger.  
  
That could mean anything. Spine could be malfunctioning, Spine could be about to explode, Spine could me on a murderous rampage- anything! Whatever it was was racking David's mind while he walked in the direction of Ray's room. He walked in to see the X-Man comic strips all over the corner of the wall, a camera, lighting, makeup, a bed, and an attached room. So this is how he worked here and did =3...  
  
Walking into the attached room he saw Ian and Anthony's beds, MLP and Pokemon posters everywhere, and a charging laptop on Anthony's bed. Ian and Ray were sitting on Ian's bed, playing cards, and making fun of each other.  
  
"My name is Ray and I'm an angry midget who likes to make butt-jokes and talk about squirrel aids," Ian sneered as he slid a 5 into the pile. "Go fish."  
  
"My name is Ian and I have a stupid haircut," Ray replied, taking a card. He sighed and looked to David.  
  
"Seems like you two've made up!" David smiled, Ray and Ian both glaring at him.  
  
"We were waiting for you, Magikarp." Ian meant what he said, David taking offence to it. "We want Anthony back."  
  
"Pruitt said he's not ready."  
  
"I say he is. I want him back, David. Now."  
  
"Anthony isn't a flask-refill, Ian."  
  
"Speaking of," Ian said, turning behind him and holding out his empty flask. "Whisky. Red hot. There's a stash in Peter's office around the corner. Be a gentlemen?" David glared at him, snatched the flask, then tossed it into Ray's room.  
  
"Stop the drinking. It's not allowed before 6. You know that."  
  
"I'm depressed, David! I am allowed to drink!"  
  
"Then I'd be dragged around the floors every day after I puke my guts out and droll."  
  
Ian held his tongue and cleared his throat, Ray looking at Ian.  
  
"My name is Ian and I'm an inconsiderate a-hole," Ray smiled. Ian raised a fist and Ray cowered back. "Please don't! My stitches haven't healed all the way up!"  
  
David walked around to be in the middle of the two and looked down at Ian.  
  
"When Pruitt says Anthony is ready, he can come out. Alright? Once he does, he'll need to feed. So will Pruitt, and Paul, and Lizzie. Paul and Lizzie seem to like the sweetness of your blood-" the thought made David want to puke "-and Lizzie seems to like the creaminess. I'd suggest only letting Anthony. Make all that fanfiction come true."  
  
Ian cringed and David turned around and started to head out of the room. "Oh, and Ian? Ill check on them for you. Just... just stop drinking? Please?" Ian nodded and Ray snickered. David walked out before Ray yelled at Ian to stop threatening him and David laughed. He walked into the elevator, Paint joining his side with a rucksack in her arms. She hovered above the floor, the soft putter of her jetpack keeping her afloat.  
  
David pressed the second floor button and smiled over to Paint who kindly smiled back. Her bluish-brown eyes gleamed in the dim light of the lift and her hands trembled.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded quickly and kept her gaze away from him. Eye contact was not her forte. She stared blankly at the bottom of the door and adjusted her grip on her bag. It didn't look like there was anything in it, though. The lift stopped and David walked out, waving to Paint. She didn't look up, but waved back.  
  
David sighed heavily. He felt a sorrowful pit in his heart when it came to her. Just knowing her story and all... it hurt. He walked on and into the common guest room to see Lynn cross-stitching in her bed. He knocked on the door frame and she looked up, then smiled.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"Do you know where A.M. went? I need her help with something."  
  
"I think she went to the kitchen to pick up some water for me... You can check there." David smiled back and walked out.  
  
It was good to see that the bots were getting accustomed to the manor so quickly. Despite Beeper and Princess being so consumed by the tele, or "box" as Princess called it, and Paint was a wanderer by heart these days. Beeper had said something about how she uses radio waves to communicate to other bots and sings to humans. Talking using her actual voice would make her... Beeper trailed off. He couldn't think of any words, but then used thirteen trying to think of one.  
  
David stepped into the stairwell and saw Gabi reading a book, walking slowly past the foot of the staircase. He smiled and walked down the staircase, feeling his face redden at the sight of her. She looked amazing in that white dress, her little horns with a shine catching his eye.  
  
"Gabi," he said, quiet enough to not scare her but loud enough for her to hear. She put a finger to her spot and looked up at him, grinning once he stepped onto the tile floor. "What are you reading?"  
  
"A book I found in the Hall of Wires. Called... Deloris Claiborne?"  
  
"Don'tcha think it's a bit too adult for you?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"There's just scary parts in it. Like, really messed up parts you might not like to read." Gabi shrugged and smiled at him, then turned and walked away. David let out a sigh and walked towards the kitchen, finding Jen furiously cooking away. She was at the stove one second flipping onions, then to the fridge pulling out garlic, then to the sink washing off potatoes, then to the oven pulling out croutons, then back to the stove to mix in the ingredients. Ro smacked him with a towel and he laughed.  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
"You're staring. You have a girlfriend, may I remind you!"  
  
"I know, I was just watching. Seen A.M.?"  
  
"Dining room reading a magazine Peter orders. I think Annie is with her drinking some tea."  
  
"You're a great help," David smiled before walking out. Ro looked at him, confused, and smiled. He turned into the dining room and Annie turned to smile at him, her strawberry-blonde hair tied back into a bun.  
  
"Hello, Mr. Bennett! How are you?"  
  
David smiled and sat beside her. "I'm doing alright, and yourself?"  
  
"Much better. Got some plenty of rest and unpacked my things. A.M. here has been telling her creation story." Annie motioned to the bot with hair like Bunny's just a bit longer with bangs, a blue underbid to her cheek vents, and copper teeth and chin. She wore a red shirt with the name Craig Owens on it and blue jean shorts with black and white checkered Vans.  
  
"Oh really? Who created you?"  
  
"Craig Owens, actually."  
  
"Oh yes, Lynn said something about that, now that I think about it. Say, A.M., are you good at sound-proofing things?" She nodded and David smiled. "Great. I need your help.  
  
=  
  
As Jingle and Mike stepped off the ride platform, they fell into each other with a giggle. Janelle ran a hand over Michael's core and he suddenly grabbed her wrist and his knees buckled. His eyes opened wide and he exhaled with a slight whimper, making Janelle's face redden.  
  
"Oh my goodness..." he sighed. She smiled and led him over to a clear seat, letting him sit and then sitting on his lap similar to how Peter and Vivian were, as they saw. Michael huffed and started to laugh as he wrapped his arms around Jingle's slim frame and held her close. She smiled to be able to feel the heat radiate off of his body through her dress and rested her head upon his shoulder.  
  
"Sensitive?"  
  
"Much more than I thought I'd be. Guess you forgot to slip you hand some places this mornin-"  
  
"Michael," Peter interrupted, "Children. And me."  
  
Michael hung his head, but Jingle put her hand to his jaw line and kissed him sweetly on the lips. Vivian smiled at them and looked back to Peter. He put his mask against her cheek and she laughed. Peter smiled from behind his mask and rubbed her thigh, looking back over to Jingle and Mike.  
  
"They look like a 80's high school couple making out at the 5'n'dine," Peter said. Vivian only smiled and rested her head against his, watching the hammer swing around. No way she was going to do that. Peter took out his phone and texted Spine.  
  
"Any sign of AJ?"  
  
"No, and Steve said he slipped off," he replied. peter let out a sigh and looked around.  
  
"Put up his tracker. Leo should have it. We're leaving soon."  
  
"Kay."  
  



	150. Sulky teenager gets hard lessons - Whistler

AJ stumped along. No one had noticed he was gone, he was almost positive. Of course they hadn't. They were probably glad.  
  
He glanced around. None of them were following. He stopped at a nearby vendor to look at a collection of antique weapons. A man was beside him; AJ looked up and realized he was looking at him curiously. The man smiled benignly and turned back to admiring some sort of feather-trimmed hatchet.  
  
Hatchet... AJ turned and hurried on and looked around for a place to hide but realized it was stupid; they had a tracking chip installed. Assuming they bothered to look for him, which they would probably do just so they could yell at him some more, there would be no way he could hide for long.  
  
He sighed the deep, tortured sigh of a man with no escape and decided he could at least go on some rides before anyone said, "Oi, where's AJ? We want to tell him what a loser he is."  
  
He spied the dark ride. Seemed lame to go on it alone but he was curious about what was supposed to be so bloody horrifying that it would scare a woman into your arms... And what if she was just scared? Where did that leave a guy? Emmeline had grabbed him around the middle because they were upside-down... if he'd been interested in mashing their fake lips together she would have punched him.  
  
He snickered in spite of himself as he shuffled into line. He knew people said girls and boys couldn't just be friends but he saw it differently. And the thought of her getting mad and pasting a guy for trying to kiss her was hilarious.  
  
His amusement fizzled as he remembered she'd yelled at him too. Of course, she forgot in five minutes... why did Boyle say that made her female? Hatchworth did that!  
  
He ignored the smirking attendant and dropped into his seat. A scant second before the ride moved forward, a man dropped in beside him... the man who had just been watching him back at the vendor booth!  
  
"Oi!" he cried, twisting around... but the attendant wasn't even looking at them. The car slid through a curtained opening and they were in darkness.  
  
AJ leaned awkwardly away from the stranger. He was almost positive the attendant hadn't seen the man follow him into the ride. He had just taken it upon himself to jump into the car at the last second! Suppose he was some kind of pervert? Sure, AJ was an automaton, powered on dark matter, even, but he was just a kid... and he was anatomically correct! He tried to cross his legs unsuccessfully, bumping his knee on the curved surface covering the front on the car.  
  
"Don't be afraid," said a gentle voice in the darkness.  
  
"You what? Y'know, mate, that's about the only thing you could have said to make this creepier..."  
  
"No, you don't understand. I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
"You bet your sweet a$$ you aren't, not if you want to keep all yer limbs! I'm stronger than I look an' I'll give you sech a kecking I swear..."  
  
"Why so much anger, child?"  
  
Some teenagers jumped out at them, wearing hockey masks and waving knives. AJ, to his considerable embarrassment, screamed like a girl.  
  
"Not one word!" he snapped, hoping he didn't sound as whimpering and terrified as he thought he did. He didn't understand it, either. This human couldn't hurt him. Why was he so afraid?  
  
"AJ, calm down. I need to talk to you."  
  
He froze. "How d'ya know my name, eh?"  
  
"I'm your uncle, son. Oh, before we go on... here..."  
  
A voice in his brain chimed, "Tracking chip offline."  
  
"What?" AJ gasped.  
  
The man waved a hand dismissively. "Didn't your mother tell you about me?"  
  
"No! Why would she? I already know all my aunts and uncles."  
  
"Oh..." the man breathed, looking away. "That hurts..."  
  
He sounded sincere. "What does?"  
  
"My own twin sister... not telling her son about me..." the man whispered.  
  
"Are you crying?"  
  
"Wouldn't you?" He wiped his eyes and turned back with a gentle smile, just visible in the red lights of the next scare room. "Ah, but you don't have a sister. Just two crazy parents, am I right?"  
  
"You do know them, then..." AJ said, chuckling in spite of himself.  
  
He heard a soft laugh as they passed through another doorway. "Very well. My sister, after all."  
  
"But how can she be, unless... Oh, you're in disguise too?"  
  
"I'd heard you were a bright kid. That's right. We're twins. We used to be close... But since they married..." He sighed with feeling. "Not that I opposed the union. The Spine is a good man, or was."  
  
AJ frowned. "How do you mean, was?"  
  
"Such a good boy! Please don't be angry... but you've seen it yourself, haven't you? The moodiness, the violence, even toward those he is supposed to love no matter what. I'm worried about you, AJ, and your mother. I want to help, but she won't listen to me."  
  
"Help? Help how?" AJ demanded. The guy was growing on him, he had to admit. Everything he said made sense. His father was dangerous... his mother was always covering for him. He knew The Spine was a war hero, had been the core of strength in the Walter family for decades. But what was he now? A literal shell of his former self. He'd caught a couple of moments when he seemed to act the way a father should, but in between... Didn't dads kid around with their children? Play catch or something? Help them with their pets? He didn't even have a pet unless he counted Lil Steve. He almost did count him, though...  
  
"I see the worry in your eyes, AJ. You're scared... I can get you both out of there but your father will never let you just leave..."  
  
_Because he loves us..._ he thought suddenly. But did he? Did he think of anyone but himself?  
  
AJ looked away, pained. He'd been thinking this same crap himself but hearing it from this guy made it... well... real. It made it sound like it was really true... and that scared him more than anything. As long as he was the only one thinking it, he could have his sulk and then go back, get his scolding, make up and maybe get a hug from his worried parents...  
  
And that was what he had been hoping for all along. He'd seen it on TV... kid gets lost, thinks he's in trouble, parents are just so glad he's safe, everyone hugs and no one yells. Did that ever really happen?  
  
"I have a plan... but I'll need your help. I'm trapped and can't come to you... this is only a projection of me. I need you to help me escape, and then I can come and take you and your mother somewhere where your father will never be able to hurt you again."  
  
There was an undercurrent of eagerness in his voice. AJ clamped his eyes shut. It felt wrong! Something wasn't coming through right...  
  
There was a click and a whir in his head. The man beside him softly murmured, "No..."  
  
"Security protocol activated," said a voice in his head. It sounded like his aunt, Upgrade.  
  
"What?" AJ murmured.  
  
"They're trying to stop you, AJ! Deactivate it before they enter the code!"  
  
But... it was Upgrade! She'd only ever been kind to him...  
  
"Do it now!" screamed the man.  
  
AJ hesitated. His aunt's voice said gently, "Security code four one one alpha zed. In case of Tomahawk, accessing remote data stream."  
  
And loud and clear, suddenly AJ heard the man's thoughts, broadcast from wherever he was trapped, according to his own description.  
  
"Don't!" the man cried as a beam shot from AJ's left eye and into his right one.  
  
It came through loud and clear, a running commentary on their conversation for the past several seconds...  
  
"Bloody little jerk won't just cooperate just like that little witch she wouldn't believe I was Grimm the nasty thing had to go and run five hundred volts through me couldn't walk straight for a month bloody he!! why won't he just cooperate..."  
  
The guy had tried to trick Emmeline! He could see it, little flashes of video, Emmy in her robot form... AJ glared at the man in the dim light. He was leaning away now, eyes wild, unable to fight the scan from the security protocol AJ's parents had asked his Auntie Upgrade to include in his programming... the data was all there now, the source of the file, the commands that triggered it, and a note, indicating that both parents had crafted it and insisted upon its installation.  
  
The commentary continued, "And the little jerk is hearing everything I'm thinking but I can't stop why can't I stop no Grimm will find out and The Spine what will The Spine do to me he loves the stupid little twerp so much what kind of robot is he and hatchet oh my lord hatchet dotes on him crap she will peel me like a banana somebody stop this nooooo..."  
  
"Security protocol prompt..." intoned Upgrade. "Do you wish to continue data compilation?"  
  
"No," AJ whispered. His uncle... he knew now that was indeed who he was... slumped slightly, released from the compulsion beam. "You bloody swine..."  
  
"AJ... I want what's best for you..." Tomahawk said feebly. But the spell was broken, whatever glamour had fooled AJ was gone. He saw now a robot who hated him, and hated his new friend Emmeline, almost as much as he loathed Hatchet and The Spine.  
  
And even this miserable excuse for an uncle had admitted that both of his parents loved him. AJ's chin trembled but he steeled himself and said, in the coldest voice he could manage, "Get away from me. Leave my mum and dad alone or you're for it, you hear me?"  
  
Tomahawk dropped all illusion of goodness and peered at him with a look that would have made his blood run cold if he'd had any. "You know I'm right, boy. You know he'll kill given the chance! You just go see him tonight, go and see for yourself! Then you'll see why you should hate him! You should hate them both! Hate everyone who ever hurt you, who put you in that body to be a teenager forever!"  
  
The ride rolled into the unloading area. AJ jumped out and ran for it, not knowing and not wanting to know if the man was following.  
  
\----------  
  
"AJ... Come on, love... where are you?" Hatchet murmured, biting her lip.  
  
The tracking signal had stopped. Just stopped. That didn't happen unless... unless something had happened to AJ. Hatchet was terrified.  
  
The others had headed for the parking lot, calling Bunny to bring the car for the extra people. Steve's additional party made them too numerous for the van and Peter had refused the suggestion that Steve wait a few hours and fly them home. Carol had been exhausted anyway.  
  
So Hatchet and The Spine had gone to look for their son. Leo was trailing behind, to her relief. The Spine didn't seem to have noticed. He was looking in every shadow for the boy, a stern look on his face. If he found him, what would he do? He looked so frightening this way...  
  
"Mum!" screamed a voice. AJ ran straight into her arms.  
  
"Oh, my!" she cried, startled. He was sobbing. "AJ... darling... we were so worried, what on earth?"  
  
AJ just shook his head. "Nothing..." he coughed. "I just... it was nothing..."  
  
She looked apprehensively at her husband. His stern expression was gone. He looked scared now... He put his arms around them both, startling AJ.  
  
"It's okay now, son..." The Spine said gently. "Tell us about it later, alright?"  
  
AJ nodded against his mother's shoulder. "M'sorry, da..."  
  
"Don't give it another thought, son... I'm sorry for havin' a shout at ye..."  
  
"That accent..." she murmured. She tilted her head and saw Leo smiling at them from a polite distance. He looked at his wrist which she found rather silly. He wasn't even wearing a watch!  
  
"Well, let's go," she said. "Before anyone notices the oil." She waved her hand hastily, obscuring any damaged makeup. "That should do for now."  
  
They headed for the van, no one asking what had made the boy run off in the first place. Hatchet hadn't really needed to ask that.  
  
But she certainly hoped he would tell her what had happened after, before she worried herself to pieces.  



	151. Leaving the fair, Visiting with the Renix bots - NinjaPastry

Climbing into the van and crawling into the back, Jingle and Mike sat with each other. Jingle had herself a new experience away from death, as close as she was, and was happy about it. Mike was whispering things into her ear, making her blush and giggle. Peter sat in the driver seat as the others filed in, Bunny pulling up with a secondary car for the others.  
  
AJ sat beside his cousin as Vivian joined front seat with Peter, Hatchet and Spine holding hands in the middle seats with worried looks on their faces. Matt was beside them, listening to his iPhone and watching the people leave the fair.  
  
"Have fun?" Peter asked. Steve and his little family piled into the other car and Bunny drove off just as Peter started up the van. Some yes, one no. He sighed, looking back to everyone. "Where's Carolina and Leo?"  
  
"Something about a motorcycle?" Hatchet said, her head resting sadly into Spine's shoulder crook. It made Peter wonder what had happened, but then saw Leo riding said motorcycle with Carolina hugging his back. Peter laughed and Spine half-smiled, the others busy with thoughts and sweet whispers.  
  
"Michael," Peter scolded, looking back to see a horrified look on AJ's face. "Mike, no getting handsy in front of others!"  
  
"I know, just messin' with her," he replied without so much as a glance over at him.  
  
"Where are your hands?" Peter asked afterwards. He pulled out of the parking lot and started driving towards the manor.  
  
"He's not doing anything gross, dad," Jingle sneered. She huddled up against Michael and swirled her finger over his core, making him tremble. Peter rolled his eyes and kept driving.  
  
-  
  
Pulling up the way, Peter stopped the van and everyone piled out. They were met with a woman wearing a green vest over a white dress and a small pink robot wearing a dress that matched her metallic pink skin. Emmy and Boyle were chatting up a storm with the tiny bot and the smile on the woman's face was one of a mother's, one of care and happiness her child was happy.  
  
Peter stepped out of the van and gave the keys to a worker who kindly drove it to the back of the manor. Peter and Vivian, hand in hand, walked towards the lady with the green vest and smiled.  
  
"You must be Madam Renix," Peter held out his hand. Lynn took it and shook, smiling at him. "Nice to finally meet you. I'm Peter the sixth and this is my fiancee, Vivian."  
  
"Nice to meet you," Lynn said kindly. "Seems your creations are now friends with my own adoption."  
  
"Actually, those aren't mine. Those are Mrs. Negrete's. My own creations are the three walking inside, Matthew, The Reed, and The Wheel. They go by Matt, Mike and Janelle, however."  
  
"Amazing. How recent are they?"  
  
"Janelle is the eldest creation of the three, being two years of function. Mike and Matt, however, are quite new. Only a month or so in."  
  
"Fascinating! I'd love to hear their stories, if you have time to spare."  
  
"Not a problem," Peter nodded. "I have somethings to tidy up and then we may converse over the pulmonary structures of our automatons!"  
  
The entire conversation went quickly over Vivian's head. She stared over at the small bots and the much larger one, then glanced over to AJ who quickly tugged off his fake skin, Hatchet leading him inside.  
  
"I assume Matter Master David has ensured your comfort in the manor?"  
  
"Quite so. We all feel much safer here."  
  
"That's good. I hope they enjoy the weather, as well as you. Speaking of which, I hope you don't mind the lack of doors in the manor."  
  
"Not a problem. It's actually quite nice. Beeper has a paranoia when it comes to open doors, so usually all the doors in my own manor are shut. I've gotten to the point where it's a habit of shutting them, and it just so happens I might break it here!" They laughed and Princess led the new friends inside, Leo and Carolina pulling up just at the point where Peter was leading Vivian and Lynn back into the manor.  
  
"Monsieur!" Leo shouted as he took off his helmet. "Monsieur, did you get my message?"  
  
"Yes, Leo, thank you! I'm on it!"And with that he ducked into the manor without another word towards him. Carolina hopped off the bike and set her helmet on the handle bar. She ran her good hand over the paint and smiled.  
  
"I can't believe you won this, all for an arm wrestling match with 'World's Strongest Man.'" She smiled up at him and he grinnined sweetly back, then wacthed as her face went from cheekiness to horror.  
  
"Leo! Your face!" she cried out, her hands retreating to her cover er mouth. He raised an eyebrow and tapped the nub of an ear, looking at his fingers.  
  
"J'ai ne pas... que-est ce?"  
  
"It look like the burn crawled down your jawline," she cringed. "We should get you inside..."  
  
"Non, Carolina, it's just Grimm messing wis moi."  
  
"I highly doubt that," she replied, dragging him by the shirt to the manor.  
  
=  
  
David looked over to the bot. She screwed in another spiked foam pad and looked over at him. He held out a couple more screws and she took them from his hand, then adjusted her sitting position. It looked like she had a few too many wires in her knees.  
  
"I think this is the last one," David said, screwing in a pad to the wall. A.M. nodded and finished up hers, then smiled.  
  
"Good work," she said. "Now, what do we do about the cuffs?"  
  
"We have to wait until we can get him down here and shut him off. Hatchet said-"  
  
"Hatchet?!"  
  
David was taken by surprise at how excited she sounded. "Yeah. She lives here."  
  
"Oh, when can I see her?!"  
  
"Whenever she gets back, which should be soon. Just go upstairs and she should be there. I'll clean up. No worries."  
  
A.M. smiled and stood up, then walked out briskly. She was a bit heavy, more oval like, so running wouldn't be all that great for her to do. Especially with all those wires about to be severed if she did.  
  
=  
  
Hatchet sank into the staircase, hugged tightly by Princess. Her tiny little arms clung to Hatchet's slim waist and she laughed.  
  
"Ello, mah darling!" Hatchet smiled, playing with the strands of brown hair on her head.  
  
"'Atchet! I've missed you!" the little Brit cheered.  
  
"I've missed you too, ya little priss! Where's Beeper and your elder sisters?"  
  
"Hey, squirt!" A.M. called from the stairs around the corner. hatchet looked to see her sister standing there, a sly look on her face. "Never thought I'd see your creepy eyes again, but here we are."  
  
"You're intruding on my property, actually," Hatchet returned. She lifted the youngest from her waist and stood, lightly punching A.M.'s arm. The other laughed and was blind-sided by Beeper. He instantly tackled Hatchet with a deadly hug, thankfully not setting off his alarm in the process with how hard he was hugging his sister.  
  
Peter watched how they all interacted. It was like a code, really. A puzzle with how Hatchet's trust worked. She put more trust with hugs in the younger ones rather than the oldest, and seemed to be so distracted she didn't notice Spine watching, as well. She had completely brushed him off, as well as her son, to rejoin with her "siblings".  
  
Introducing them to AJ and Spine would be strange, and the other way around. t was like they were all suddenly rushed with strange people at the fair all over again. They fit in, sure, but the overall mannerisms from a Californian to East Missourian jargon was strange. Hush-worthy, even.  
  
"Where's Cassie?" Hatchet asked, Lynn's smile disappearing.  
  
"I actually don't know, sweetheart. I think the attic, but I could be wrong..."  
  
"I want to see her. Please?"  
  
"Alright, I'll go look for her. Just, just stay put. Jen should be around here, too."  
  
"Here!" she yelled, sliding into Hatchet's view and hugging her just as tightly as Beeper who was till clinging to her.  
  
"You're gonna squeeze the death out of Death, mates! Bugger off, loves!" she laughed. Jen and Beeper stopped hugging her as Spine slid his arms around her waist from behind. She smiled, the four others staring at her. Beeper gasped.  
  
"Hatchet! You put a ring on it!" the boy shouted. The two older girls laughed hysterically and Princess giggled, covering her eyes as Hatchet and Spine shared a sweet kiss.  
  
"Yes, I did. This is the infamous The Spine Walter, my husband. He's your new brother-in-law. In fact..."  
  
"So is Hatchy and Jon. UpGrade, Rabbit, and Jingle are their sisters-in-law. I think a certain Princess and UpGrade would get along greatly." It was obvious he was hiding his accent. Maybe he did it for the kids, but she wasn't exactly sure.  
  
"Could you imagine the dress up games?"  
  
"Dress up?!" Princess squealed. "Can I play?!"  
  
"In a minute. I need to talk with Cassie."  
  
"She doesn't speak," Jen said with a questionable look.  
  
"She does. To me."  
  
"How special," A.M. snorted. "Scrap-meatl's got a husband, and can speak to the mute one."  
  
"She's not mute," Princess snarled. "She can speak fu radio waves!"  
  
"She suses her voice around me," hatchet said, now a bit frustrated.  
  
"Mum," AJ mumbled. "Um, ye might wanna calm down. You'll hurt someone...."  
  
"Did he just say 'mum?'" A.M. gasped. "And she's got a kid! What a life, scrap-metal."  
  
"Ever heard of a robo-family? Either have I, until now," Jen startled laughing. A.M. joined in and so did the kids. Spine put Hatchet's hood up over her head and she was gone in a split second, Aj letting out a sigh.  
  
"I guess yer all me uncles and aunties, hm?"  
  
"Scottish? Really? A Brit and an American made a Scott? What's his name? Lucky?"  
  
"It's Admin Jon, thankee very much," AJ retorted. "I can see why mum left yer place first off. Yer all bunches of soiled cabbage."  
  
"What's that mean?" Beeper inquired.  
  
"It wasn't 'cause of us," Jen smiled. "It was our 'inventor' father."  
  
"Jeneral!" Lynn snapped. Peter suddenly became thankful there was a strong woman like her in the manor for a while. He couldn't handle all these bots at once. "Apologize, all of you! She is just as much as family as you all are!"  
  
The four said their sorries and Hatchet slid her hood down, wiping away her tears of anger. Paint flew over to her and tore her from Spin's grip, crying into her. Hatchet returned the hug and held her sister close. Spine smiled and backed up a bit from the chaos.  
  
"Paint, Hatchet, why not go to Paint's room and talk things over?" Peter suggested. Hatchet nodded and Paint led her up the staircase. "Um... I'll get workers for you all. Lynn, I'll talk to you during dinner, how about that?"  
  
"Perfect."  
  
"Alrighty then." Peter nodded a final goodbye and walked off with Vivian with him as the Renix bots went back to whatever they were doing.  
  



	152. Peter gets home and faces his parents, Honeymoon?, The Spine heads out for work, Gravity steps in - Whistler

"I have to stop off in the kitchen," Peter told Vivian.  
  
"Alright..."  
  
He dug through a few cupboards until he found a small paper bag. "Just in case," he said.  
  
"Of what?" she asked, bewildered.  
  
"Hyperventilating."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Oh, surely you have it too... well, how to explain..."  
  
He managed, as they hurried back to the entrance hall, to explain it. Bunny was still there but Hatchet and the others had gone. "Has anyone told you anything about... um... a wedding?" Peter asked cautiously, holding out the paper bag.  
  
She pushed it away. "On the way here, dummins. Look, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life..."  
  
"But?"  
  
Bunny looked around sharply, leaned in close and hissed, "You couldn't keep quiet for a few weeks, until Five got restless and dragged her off on another adventure?"  
  
Peter bubbled with laughter and Bunny rolled her eyes and leaned away. "We want to get married as soon as we can, Bunny."  
  
"But you've only known her a few days..."  
  
"Well..." he began.  
  
"It's true?" cried a shrill voice.  
  
"Hey Mom," he said as she rushed up to them.  
  
Annie grabbed Vivian by the hand and looked at the ring. "Oh, this is pretty, but it doesn't look like an engagement ring..."  
  
Peter held his hand up to her as well. "We swapped. Just engagement rings, mind you... Vivian wanted me to have one too..."  
  
Annie was staring at him.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
Her face crumpled. She started crying in great gasps. Peter handed her the paper bag.  
  
"Oh, stop it! I'm not hyperventilating! Peter... my baby!" she sobbed, hugging him.  
  
"Mom! Come on!" he cried. "Are you happy or sad?"  
  
"Oh, you idiot boy! You haven't just known her a few days, either, have you?"  
  
"What?" Bunny said in surprise. "How can that be?"  
  
"Well... yeah..." Peter said awkwardly. There was a crowd gathering in the entrance hall. Leo was looking him with a smirk over the heads of the others.  
  
Vivian wanted to explain, but she wasn't sure they'd believe her. Fortunately, now that Peter knew her for who she was, he had resumed the manner he'd had toward her in the past... warm, sweet, and protective. She wondered that he'd been able to hide for so long these qualities; the people here seemed unaware of what he was like on the inside.  
  
He was telling them now, the best he could, about the vivid dreams he had managed to forget for so long. His arm was around her and her long years seemed like a dream... she felt as old as she looked, just a girl in the arms of the man she loved.  
  
Five had turned up at some point and was peering at her as Peter stammered on with his tale. She smiled and he smiled back.  
  
"I should have known," he said, beaming. "How's River doing?"  
  
"You know Morpheus?" she gasped.  
  
"I get around," he said with a wink. "Morpheus helped me meet a certain special lady once..."  
  
"We met in a cafe in the Village, you idiot!" chuckled Annie in a good-natured tone, still fawning over her now engaged son.  
  
There was an awkward silence. Five began to gently lift off of the floor.  
  
Annie let out a growl of pure rage, grabbed him by the hand, and said coldly, "Drop him or so help me!"  
  
Five hit the floor with a thud, keeping his balance with Annie's help. "Thanks..." he said sheepishly.  
  
"Maybe this buddy of yours can finally convince her you're taken!" she snapped. "Come on, we have a wedding to plan!"  
  
"Aw he!! no!" shouted Bunny. "I know the kind of wedding you have in mind! Annie, you're not going to turn this house into a three ring circus!"  
  
Annie was already in a rage. "Lest you forget, my husband owns this house!"  
  
"Mom, Bunny, please!" cried Peter unhappily as they got going.  
  
Vivian looked back and forth between them, prepared to call upon her years of experience to mediate their dispute. But it hit her all at once that their dispute was about her wedding. Her wedding... She was getting married, at last. She and Peter, after all this time, after the centuries of going home to bed alone after helping others fix their problems, now she would be able to sleep with the soft sound of her love sleeping beside her... and they were fighting, angry, arguing about how the wedding was to take place... Couldn't they just get on with it? Everything was settled... or so she had thought.  
  
To her embarrassment, she burst into tears. The good news was that this had the effect of stopping the argument cold. Peter turned to her and pulled her into a hug, murmuring soothingly and stroking her back. She melted against him. It felt wonderful.  
  
Annie fell silent as most of the staff stood glaring at her, and Bunny said quietly, "Can we work together on it? Peter wants to get married quickly. Together we can make that happen."  
  
"Alright," Annie sighed. "To tell the truth, I'm getting a little old for this..."  
  
"Pssh, not you, Annie. The woman who stole a man from the arms of a goddess?"  
  
Five started floating abruptly. Annie cleared her throat and he slammed down again.  
  
"I'm gonna need new knees if this keeps up," he muttered.  
  
"Well, alright. Oh... by the way, son, where do you want to go for the honeymoon? We should make sure you can get reservations, there isn't much notice..."  
  
Peter looked at her sharply. "Honeymoon... oh, holy crap..."  
  
His breathing grew shallow. He opened the paper bag hastily and put it up to his mask, swearing when his hands hit the wood instead. Vivian hastily sat him down on a bench and had him lean forward, rubbing his back until his breathing grew steady.  
  
"You broke him, Annie," chuckled Five.  
  
"You didn't even think that far ahead, did you?" Annie said in a voice that was all at once sympathetic and astonished. She sat beside him and put an arm around his back. "That's part of it, darling."  
  
Peter glanced around him and the crowd was suddenly moving to do other things. Vivian tried to laugh but she was fighting the same panic. Eight hundred years and now... oh, lord... What would happen? She'd never been told that! She knew her mortality was linked to her virtue. She didn't know how abrupt the change would be...  
  
"Maybe you could choose somewhere?" Peter said weakly, little knowing just how troubling his honeymoon could become.  
  
"Oh, no. Nope. That's one I'm not touching. You choose. I'll make reservations but that's it."  
  
"Ditto," said Bunny.  
  
"Then if I might make a suggestion?" Five said. "Um... son, maybe you and I should speak privately about this one."  
  
Peter groaned.  
  
"Come on, son." Five helped him to his feet. "We'll talk about it while we check out that little building project David is working on. I don't know what's up with that and I want to know."  
  
"Right. Of course." Peter gave Vivian a quick hug. Glancing toward his parents apprehensively, he removed his mask and held it up like a screen while he kissed her. Vivian heard quiet laughter but didn't mind. It was rather silly, and rather wonderful.  
  
He put his mask back on and left with his father. Vivian watched them walk away and heard Annie say, "What in the world was so secret?"  
  
"Well, my best guess is that it's one of those father-son talks about treating your wife right or something..." Bunny suggested.  
  
"I think I know," Vivian murmured, touching her pendant. Annie looked her with dawning understanding.  
  
"About where to honeymoon..." she breathed. "You need that thing to live outside of the Manor! But if you're... oh, dear. That's awkward..."  
  
"What?" Bunny asked, frowning. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Oops... You have to keep the pendant on outside the house, even in bed... Does that mean you have to honeymoon in the house? That sucks..."  
  
"No, there's another place," Vivian said, and suddenly felt a bit better. "The place I came from would be safe for me."  
  
"Oh! Is it nice there?"  
  
"It's lovely," she sighed happily. The idea of going home, even for a little while, to be alone with Peter... yes, that made a lot of things better. She just had to decide whether to tell him... or risk dying in his arms.  
  
\----------  
  
Steve had rounded up AJ as well as his own robotic kids and hurried them past the argument, giggling softly.  
  
"It's getting a little grownup in there. I don't think I'm old enough to hear that stuff. Anyway, we're going back to see Bloch..." he began.  
  
"Awwwww!" interrupted Emmy.  
  
"Hush, kid! Carol and I are going back. We thought you three might like a sleepover. I'm pretty sure AJ's folks are gonna need him out of the apartment tonight..."  
  
The three of them cheered. "Where will we sleep, though?" Boyle asked.  
  
"The game room! I doubt you'll sleep though. I mean, first off, it's a Friday night, second, you're robots, third, video games. Oh, and maybe some of the visiting kids might want to join you... I don't really know them. They seemed pretty freaked out but you can offer anyway. They may not be too eager to play anything violent right now..."  
  
"Just ask, alright?" said Carol. "It's a nice gesture."  
  
"Alright, mum."  
  
\----------  
  
  
"It's getting late," murmured Hatchet. She had spent a lovely evening with them, but midnight was approaching and she'd had to excuse herself to prepare. She and The Spine were snuggled in the big chair in their little apartment. He'd been edgy without fully remembering why, as had she. She'd been only too glad to hold him close.  
  
She was calm, as far as anyone could see from the outside. Inside, not at all. She had readily agreed when AJ asked to have a little sleepover in the game room with Emmy and Boyle... The less he had to know, the better.  
  
From what Leo had told her, tonight she had to make sure The Spine ended up in vault 666, hopefully after he was asleep. She had gotten the chance to peek at the work inside it... it looked terribly like a room used for... well... interesting hobbies. There were at least a few shades of grey...  
  
She was pretty sure she could persuade him to try something kinkier than usual once he returned from his rounds, and lead him to the vault for it. Once he was in stasis after, it would be easy to do the rest. Or at least, he wouldn't stop her, being unconscious... But it wouldn't be a pleasant experience, strapping him down and leaving him to whatever awaited him.  
  
But she trusted Leo, far more than Grimm. He had assured her it would hurt The Spine more if she remained and she had to have a little faith in that. For the first time in decades, she was scared and relying on someone's strength besides her husband's. It was hard...  
  
The Spine kissed her warmly and murmured, "I'll miss you..."  
  
Why? She was barely keeping it together... She gulped and said lightly, "I'll miss you too, darling. Hurry back when you're done."  
  
"Always." He stroked her cheek and his appearance transformed... subtly, but enough. Then, with a click of his fingers, he faded from normal sight, visible still to her... like a mass of tattered black shadows, torn rags blowing in an unseen breeze. She could almost hear the darkness.  
  
"Spine?" she breathed. When had he learned that? It was gorgeous!  
  
"I'm here, love," he murmured. "I'll be seein' ye when I return..."  
  
She felt his lips press hers once more. Then the tatters of scattered darkness broke apart into skeleton leaves that blew one by one from sight until she was left with the feeling that she was still looking at him... the feeling faded and she knew she was alone. If she'd had a heart, it would have been thudding against her chest wall.  
  
"Bloody... You just had to... ugh!" she groaned. As usual, he'd managed to be terrifying and alluring all at once and here she had work to do! She rose and quickly was enrobed in her own Reaper attire. She glanced down at it and frowned. Not good enough.  
  
Hatchet concentrated until she wore a black gown of tattered shimmer lace that seemed to have all colors and then none. She squinted and the cleavage lowered two inches.  
  
"Beat that, pretty boy," she murmured. "Halloween is coming..."  
  
She swallowed hard. Time for work... then she could play... and she didn't want to think beyond that, not yet.  
  
\----------  
  
The goddess hurried on her way, trying to stick to one path. She was everywhere. It was her nature. And she heard things she had learned to dismiss. Her job was simple and she did it without fail... pull things down.  
  
Well, almost without fail.  
  
She knew he was a one woman man. She felt it, but she respected it. Still, she couldn't resist taunting Annie. And she had her own little joke, one her Peter, Peter Walter V, had never seen fit to share, knowing it would drive Annie to distraction... He never told Annie where Gravity grabbed him when she lifted him off the ground.  
  
She giggled and a tree fell over in Lithuania, crushing an outhouse.  
  
She heard things and ignored them, because it was beneath her to meddle. Until tonight... for she had heard, in a dark little crack of space and time, the angry mutterings of a prisoner, cursing his familiar spirit and swearing to destroy Peter's robot. Worse, she had heard him plotting to murder Peter's son.  
  
She was still jealous of Peter's wife... But Peter loved his son. And she wouldn't let this monster destroy the boy, all because he didn't want him to repair the broken robot.  
  
That was what he had said. Destroy Peter VI and free The Spine to kill the rest. That made her angry. The gods knew The Spine... Aphrodite had his photos in a little secret shrine. Hephaestus adored his craftsmanship. Ares admired his prowess in battle. Zeus, she knew, had chuckled over his way with women, and considered his Tesla Coil arm to be a personal compliment. Hypnos thought it was cute that he wanted to sleep. Death even coveted his undying strength and had managed to acquire his services.  
  
And she, Gravity, one of the unsung demigoddesses due to the ancient Greeks' ignorance of her existence... Gravity loved him like a son. How much she had worked with his incredible weight, bring each step down with such care! And watching as he grew in grace until he carried it all with the same skill as any human man. And though he weighed so little now, still he had her favor and walked with the same dignified step. Like Peter V, he was under her care. Like Peter V, so was his son. And the monster had said The Spine's son would die... promising his familiar spirit that if he succeeded, it could steal the boy's body, the body of his own nephew, for its own.  
  
It was time to do more, now. Time to spare lives, time to speak, something she almost never did. But who to tell?  
  
Well, who else? Annie was in the kitchen planning a wedding with Bunny. Gravity pushed Annie's coffee onto the floor and slipped away to the bedroom. She was tempted to take advantage of the situation, but she wouldn't... this was too important. And though it still stung to recall... he had made it clear he had chosen Annie.  
  
No matter. Peter's son was in danger... so was The Spine's... so was the whole house. And if Grimm wasn't bothering to monitor his prisoner, it was up to her.


	153. The Spine reaps, Hatchet waits, Leo makes a shocking discovery, Gravity meets T0mmy, AJ is in deep trouble - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double installments from me because NinjaPastry got a cold and couldn't think straight to add anything. 
> 
> Warning: implications in the first section of a past molestation/murder of a child. Just a heads up.

The Spine faced a network of buildings, most of them dark. A few still had windows lit with a sickly light. The Spine walked slowly inside, taking it all in... the cracking paint, the weeds, the air of hopelessness. His presence was almost welcomed in a place like this.  
  
He stalked through the dimly lit hallway, passing rooms either grimly silent or filled with snuffling, inhuman sounds. He was glad for once to be cloaked in his Reaper persona. It shielded him somewhat from the human tragedy of the place, making him feel detached from it in a way he had once dreaded as an automaton. He had craved humanity then, almost lusting after the simplest human sensations, savoring even the pain if only he could just feel something.  
  
He still felt that way sometimes, but today, he was weary of it. Today he welcomed the feeling of being above it. Now, he was the representative of Death.  
  
And this was his door.  
  
It was bolted, like all the others. A nurse stood beside it, holding a cell phone, muttering in some strange dialect of French that had long since moved beyond its country of origin. He pushed through the doorway... he saw a man strapped to a table. He was thin, almost skeletal. His breathing rattled. Nothing new there.  
  
But the straps! He couldn't take his eyes off them. The man was restrained... why?  
  
He heard the nurse muttering in the hall. He was programmed to speak French but it was no help here... Yet he could understand her; as Death, nothing was blocked from his understanding.  
  
"Of course no one come down to see him! Who would want to except to make sure he's dead?"  
  
The Spine looked at the thin form on the table and felt. He didn't want to feel but it came unbidden... this man was dying and no one cared except to hope it would happen quickly. Why?  
  
"...Should have been hanged for what he did to that little boy... bad enough that he killed him, but that wasn't enough for him..."  
  
The Spine trembled.  
  
The man breathed his last breath and a cold mist began to rise from the corpse. The Spine was still staring at the straps. His scythe hummed in his hands and he responded almost without realizing what he was doing, raised it and brought it across the mist.  
  
The mist took a shape, the bent form of a man. He looked up at The Spine, towering and dark, and screamed, tried to flee. The Spine reached with one long cold hand and snatched him back.  
  
"No! No, I don't want to! I don't want to! Let me go!" cried the thin, hollow voice.  
  
He almost did let go. Those words...  
  
He heard distant screams... were they outside of his head or inside it? They screamed the same words... _I don't want to! Let me go!_  
  
It sounded like a child... and yet it sounded like his own voice...  
  
The man writhed and The Spine struggled with all his might to pull him back. It wasn't that the spirit was stronger, but that he seemed unable to force his own limbs to respond. He wanted to, so very much. He wanted this monster to go where he belonged.  
  
"No!" the spirit screamed. "I had no choice! I didn't hurt you much! I needed it! They had other children!"  
  
The man thought he was his victim... but he wasn't a child! Why would he make such a mistake?  
  
 _Let me go..._  
  
He fought to master his limbs and at last jammed him, screaming, at the soul bag. The silence resumed.  
  
The Spine sank heavily back against the wall, shaking. What had just happened? He passed a hand across his eye.  
  
"Hatchet..." he whispered.  
  
He waved his hand, sending his collection on its way, and went home as quickly as he could.  
  
\----------  
  
She sat in their apartment, waiting. She'd had only to harvest the soul of an old preacher, surrounded by loving relatives. He had kissed her hand and come along peacefully.  
  
And she was furious about that. Because after her assignment, she had taken a moment to see Grimm. And he had finally told her all.  
  
"Why not give him the kindly old gentleman?" she had demanded, angry tears on her cheeks. "Why torture him further?"  
  
"Because the kindly gentleman would have done nothing to help break him out of his self-imposed prison. As dangerous as he will be, he needs to escape in order to heal. I know the need to bring acts of darkness into the light. True doers of evil depend on the silence of their victims. His attacker has been dealt with but the trauma is still inside him."  
  
"But... If he remembers what happened, he'll hate me..." she had breathed, expecting him to sneer even as she said it.  
  
To her surprise, he looked at her with pity. "He's already tried to hate you, to distance himself. That memory has being trying to restore for weeks, and each time he has had an angry outburst, an act of fear, as a response. I only regret I did not draw the connection sooner.  
  
"His transition into being a Reaper has been far worse than it should have been. The events of that night were more of a shock than I had anticipated. Pine is a strong being... with a tender heart. It has almost destroyed him.  
  
"So he has been acting out like a troubled child, overly needy, overly defensive, especially in your behalf."  
  
"But why?" she sobbed. "Why defend me, after... after _that?"_  
  
"He saw the attack as being made against you both. You realize that is true, don't you? He knows... and he was ready to attack me, even Death, to defend your honor. Pine is the most ardent lover I think I have seen in the history of... well, everything. I can't decide whether to find it touching or sickening but there it is. He was afraid for you even as he lay there, afraid to try to fight back. He was bound by her power anyway but he wouldn't even risk it. He let her torture him rather than harm your body."  
  
"Is that supposed to comfort me?" she screamed.  
  
"Yes. You didn't do it." He shook his head. "Truly, I can't understand you, Chet. Anyone else would be falling to pieces knowing her body was used in a rape, and all you can think about is whether he still loves you. But he understands it... clearly better than you do. Look, just follow my instructions. He will rage for about, oh, approximately five minutes before his systems overload and he goes into auto-shutdown. Then Peter Walter can step in and repair the malfunction. The restraints are to prevent him destroying everyone and everything in his path until that occurs... and considering your quarters are in the center of the household, it would have been a bloodbath. So your interference is vital."  
  
He said it in his usual way... Not comforting, but matter-of-fact. _I say this not because I care but because it is so._ And she accepted this at last, because she wanted to believe it more than anything else.  
  
And now she sat, tense, waiting for her husband. The Spine would come home and fall into her arms. She would have but a thin window of opportunity to get him into the vault before... well, the usual. Whatever trauma he had suffered from her body was overruled by his need for comfort and relief.  
  
Before she could contemplate the next step, he was there, his shadows blowing from him as though by a stiff wind. She rose suddenly and he lunged at her. She started to speak and her words were cut off in a kiss, hungry, desperate... and frightening. She managed at last to get out the words.  
  
"Let's go to the vault tonight..." she said quickly.  
  
He stared at her with haunted eyes and whispered, "Yes... that's away from everything..."  
  
And with a whoosh, she sent them both to the prepared vault. He took one look at the table and clutched at her.  
  
"No!" he gasped. "No, Hatchet! What is this?"  
  
"Oh! No, no, that's not for... we're not going to use those unless you want to..." she told him hurriedly. But of course he wouldn't want to! If she had only known sooner...  
  
"No..." he begged.  
  
"Alright... ssh..." she whispered. "Somewhere else."  
  
She returned them to the apartment. He clung to her for a moment, his head resting on hers.  
  
"Thank you," he whispered.  
  
 _Idiot..._ she thought kindly as he tipped up her chin and kissed her. It was good to feel him in her arms... to comfort him, though he didn't even know why. It was a comfort to her, too. She didn't know what would happen tonight, but for now she had some control, for now she could distract him. How he could stand her touch was the question, for all Grimm's assurance that The Spine understood... and the more burning, troubling question followed. Would he be able to stand her touch tomorrow?  
  
They sank into the hammock. Hatchet couldn't help planning what to do once it was over... she had counted on him being willing to stay in the vault. Whatever he had seen that night had put a stop to that. She would just have to whoosh them there once he was in stasis. It would be trickier, but she could manage.  
  
\----------  
  
"Your deal."  
  
Peter scooped up the cards, shuffling them smoothly with his long, thin hands.  
  
Hatchet appeared abruptly in the room in a whoosh of soot. She sank into a chair and burst into tears.  
  
"Is it done?" Leo cried.  
  
To his shock, she turned and slapped him across the face. "There! Turn me into a nether beast, I don't care! You knew, you bloody swine! You knew and you didn't tell me!"  
  
"Is it done?" he barked, making her jump.  
  
Five started to speak and trailed off and the two of them glared at each other. She leaned back in her seat at last and said quietly, "Yeah. Yeah, it's done. He's strapped to that bloody table in full stasis, wearing nothing but his pajama pants. Looks a real danger like that, I can tell you."  
  
"'atchet..."  
  
"No, I believe it. I do. But I trusted you... I thought you'd be straight with me. I knew you weren't telling me everything but to hide that... I finally got it out of Grimm. Guess he figured I could handle it. I had to make love to my husband knowing it was my body used to drive him to this."  
  
"Don't you see zat was why I didn't tell you, 'atchet? Besides, Grimm told me to keep it from you..."  
  
She sighed. "And it doesn't do to cross Grimm. My apologies." She touched his face and the angry red mark her hand had left as well as the purpling bruise beneath both vanished. "I appreciate that you didn't overreact..."  
  
"I do understand. I didn't enjoy keeping such secrets."  
  
"So what happens now?" asked David, picking up his cards at last.  
  
"You put those down and we go check on him," Five responded.  
  
"I don't think that's such a good idea..." Peter said.  
  
"This is The Spine we're talking about, son. On the one hand, I've known him all my life and I care what happens to him. On the other hand, if he escapes that table in full battle mode, he'll be a killing machine. Literally. And we have to stop that if we can."  
  
"Zen let me," Leo said. "'atchet must stay clear for now, but I can control 'im without 'er."  
  
"Alright, Leo. Check him out."  
  
\----------  
  
Leo whooshed into the vaults, careful to arrive in the center aisle. He was still new to this and couldn't help thinking of Harry Potter... Someone in those books had mentioned the possibility of materializing inside a wall and it still made him squirm to think of it.  
  
He quickly located vault 666 and gasped. The door was still open!  
  
"She forgot?" he murmured. He crept into the vault. The Spine lay on the table in stasis, his straps hanging around him loose. Leo gasped... surely Hatchet hadn't forgotten that as well? He rushed to fasten them, swearing under his breath, praying at the same time that the nightmare would be delayed.  
  
The Spine twitched and Leo jumped. He grabbed another strap and brought it up over the robot's chest.  
  
He heard voices. "Leo?" called Peter.  
  
"Mon Dieu!" cried Leo, grabbing another strap. The Spine jerked suddenly, his face contorted in anguish.  
  
"No! Let me go!" The Spine cried, twisting against his efforts.  
  
Leo struggled to get the strap into place over the writhing automaton. Peter walked in.  
  
"I'm just glad he's..." He stopped short. "What... What's going on? Your text said..."  
  
What text? "Get out, Peter!" Leo roared as The Spine's systems hummed to life. Leo looked around in time to see his eyes open. They were glowing red.  
  
"Run, Leo!"  
  
"I can handle zis! Get everyone out!" He placed a hand on the automaton, trying to bind him as he had before... without effect. His original protocols, not his Reaper powers, were in control.  
  
"But he's not restrained! What..."  
  
The Spine snapped the few straps Leo had replaced and sat up smoothly. He brushed Leo off like a fly, slamming him into the wall. He sat, gasping for breath, the room spinning around him, as The Spine looked at Peter.  
  
"Target acquired," he said coldly.  
  
Peter wasn't moving. Leo struggled to his feet and gasped, "Run..."  
  
The Spine rose and walked toward Peter as though he was going to give him a friendly handshake. But the hand he lifted arced with electricity... original Walter weaponry.  
  
"Peter!" screamed Leo.  
  
But Peter had frozen. Leo had to do something. He threw his hand out, thinking to send him out the door. A blast of dark energy shot from his hand and Peter had time for one gasp before flying backward and straight through the vault wall, leaving no mark as he passed through.  
  
The Spine stopped dead. There were little buzzing sounds as of his processor working. "Target lost."  
  
Leo held his breath painfully, hoping he was forgotten and that Peter was just inside the next vault. The door had been shut; he'd be safe in there.  
  
The Spine still stood, staring sightlessly at the wall. Beams of light shot from his eyes... scanning the area. Leo heard a strange, guttural voice snarling, "D@mn! D@mn and blast! He's lost him! I knew this fool plan was doomed!"  
  
"Who's there?" Leo cried, wincing at pains all along his right side as he shouted.  
  
"I did my part! I will be paid!"  
  
The Spine suddenly sank to the floor. Leo limped cautiously toward him. The automaton rested on one knee, head hanging down.  
  
Leo leaned down toward him. The Spine sat up abruptly and looked his direction and Leo scrambled backward.  
  
"Battle mode override, 925 Silver!" barked a voice.  
  
The Spine's eyes flickered and closed. He sank once more into his kneeling position and powered down. Five hurried into the room and said, "Are you okay?"  
  
Leo shook his head. "Broken... arm... cracked ribs... I think... pretty sure I have a mild concussion..."  
  
His head was buzzing now like a full beehive. Wasn't there something he was supposed to remember?  
  
"Where's Peter?"  
  
That was it! "He's in the next vault... I think... Went through the wall..."  
  
"What?" Five felt the wall and looked at him askance. "Oh, it was a Reaper thing, wasn't it? Amazing. Well done, son. David, let him out."  
  
David hurried off to comply. Hatchet squeezed past and sank to the floor beside her husband. "Why is he still like this?" she demanded.  
  
"The override is followed by auto-shutdown," Five explained. "Under the assumption that if the override is required, battle mode must have been initiated by mistake or possible malfunction. I wasn't sure it would even work, he's changed so much, but the trauma sent him back to his fundamental programming apparently. Probably only temporary, but hopefully it's enough to stop battle mode so that we can start repairs. But he's gonna be a mess when he wakes up. I hear Peter set him to restore memory after this so it's going to be touch and go for awhile."  
  
"Poor darling..." she sighed miserably. She stroked his hair and rested her head against his.  
  
"Broken arm..." Leo began. Wait... Hadn't he said that? "Um... cracked... ribs..."  
  
"That's a yes on the concussion," Five sighed.  
  
"Pretty sure I have a mild concussion..."  
  
"Is that so?" Five said conversationally.  
  
"Yeah... He's in the next..."  
  
"He isn't there!" cried David, running in. "I checked all the vaults on this side!"  
  
"Leo! He isn't there! Could you have sent him somewhere else?"  
  
He tried to answer, to explain that he didn't know. But it slipped away. They had asked him something... What was it? Oh, yes.  
  
"He went through the wall..."  
  
"We know that!"  
  
"Yeah... Broken arm. Cracked ribs... Ugh... Pretty sure I have a mild concussion..."  
  
"Great scot..." muttered Five. "Hatchet, isn't there something you can do?"  
  
Hatchet sighed and rose, reaching up to touch Leo's head. "I don't really heal, y'know. I can repair small injuries and bone damage but if his bloody brains got scrambled, he'll still have a concussion and have to ride it out. I don't do ice packs."  
  
Leo blinked. He understood that... wait, what?  
  
He felt a sharp pain in his ribs as she mended the bone. The same happened in his arm and head.  
  
"Thanks," he said faintly. Wait... why was he thanking her again?  
  
"Where did you send Peter?" cried Five unceremoniously. "And why was The Spine able to roam around free and smack you around?"  
  
"Broken arm..." he said. He was sure he hadn't meant to. His arm didn't even hurt... "Um... cracked ribs..."  
  
Hatchet groaned. "Like I said... the bones are mended but his brain... that's going to need time."  
  
"But Peter..." murmured Five.  
  
"Pretty sure I have a mild concussion..."  
  
"Bloody He!!..." Hatchet muttered.  
  
\----------  
  
"I take my payment now!"  
  
T0mahawk snarled at the familiar spirit. "You take nothing! You failed!"  
  
"Did my part! Your stupid plan! You may not stop me!"  
  
And it was gone. T0mahawk hastily began to cast a new binding spell. That boy's body was the only bargaining chip he had! It had taken him forever to capture just one dark spirit... He wasn't starting over!  
  
He held up a hand to complete the dark magic and suddenly sank to the floor. Even as he groaned and struggled, a shape materialized above him.  
  
"I hold all to my bosom, and they are better for it. You I shall hold closest of all. You cannot cast a spell if your arms are too heavy to lift. You have angered me."  
  
"You're bound by your own laws, woman!" he roared, wriggling but getting nowhere.  
  
"I believe I am allowed one indiscretion in millions of years of good service," Gravity said heavily. "Farewell, T0mahawk. I leave you with a heavy heart... and mine will be lighter for it."  
  
He laughed and she stopped.  
  
"Speak!" she commanded, and he was bound to obey.  
  
"You've done nothing! Peter Walter was attacked already, and now he's gone! And my familiar has run off on his own for more trouble... and you cannot track him... he has no weight..." He snorted with messy laughter. "I wanted more, but this will have to do. She'll suffer... her and her stupid little typical family. Had to go and marry everyone's favorite robot and make a kid with him..."  
  
She glared at him, added fifty more pounds to his weight (savoring the grunt of dismay she received for it), and vanished.  
  
\----------  
  
"Whoo! Threw you off the edge ya li'l ponce!"  
  
"Lucky shot..." muttered Boyle.  
  
"Okay! Pruitt called winner!" announced Sam.  
  
"There's one last round!"  
  
They had quite a crowd but it was a friendly one. The sleepover had turned into a party when Ian had overheard AJ inviting the Renixes to join them for video games and had run straight to the vault to invite Anthony out for a while. This had resulted in the other vampires following like ducklings without a single word... first Pruitt, who wasn't letting Anthony out of her sight, who then was naturally followed by the other two.  
  
Then most of the intern staff trailed in, having inexplicably been given the night off by either Peter or Leo. The only ones missing were AJ's parents, Peter V, Peter VI, Leo, and David... Even Annie was settled into a chair, chatting animatedly with Bunny, Vivian, and several Walter Girls about something involving cake, lingerie and embarrassing party games. Vivian frequent looked shocked at their comments. They were mercifully mostly drowned out by the other noises.  
  
Sam had become a referee by default... not as the oldest (Pruitt and several others had him beat) but as the one who didn't want to risk not getting a turn. This meant most of their time was spent watching, despite a second TV and game system that had been produced from a cabinet.  
  
AJ was having a great time. He hardly even thought about the rough parts of the day. He got a turn every few minutes or so and in between it was fun to watch the others.  
  
 _I want his boooody..._  
  
"What?" AJ asked.  
  
"Didn't say nothin'," said Boyle, concentrating on his game.  
  
Faster than he could comprehend, something swept into his mind and he felt himself being pulled up, rolled into a ball and stuffed into a corner of his own processor.  
  
 _Mine now!_ a presence stated. He felt pressed... it was crushing him!  
  
"Deleting original AI requires access codes," stated the voice of his Auntie Upgrade pleasantly.  
  
The presence swore and AJ was promptly locked away in the dark. He tried to find a way out, some piece of code, some chip he could reprogram, anything... but he was cut off, had no control. He was trapped in his own mind.  
  
 _"Mum... Dad... Help me..."_ he cried... but he couldn't even hear himself.  
  
\----------  
  
In the middle of watching Emmy destroy Boyle at SoulCalibur IV, AJ suddenly shut down.  
  
"Is he supposed to do that?" asked Boyle worriedly.  
  
Sam crept through the crowded room and checked AJ's power switch. Before he could do anything, the boy sat bolt upright.  
  
"Get off me!" he snapped, vaulting clumsily over the back of the couch.  
  
"Sorry, kid... you gave us a scare," Sam said, irritated.  
  
"That was a scare? That's nothing, I promise you. Goodbye." He stomped heavily from the room.  
  
"AJ!" cried Emmy. She jumped up to follow, catching him easily in the hall.  
  
"Get away, vixen!"  
  
"Oh, so now I'm a vixen! What does that make you?"  
  
"Gloriously alive!" he gritted, moving forward with an increasingly light step.  
  
"Is this a game? Only where'd your accent go?"  
  
"Will you leave me be?"  
  
She frowned. "You mean that..."  
  
"I have things to experience. Get out of my way before I decide to find out whether your creator made you anatomically correct!"  
  
"You what?" she half-laughed.  
  
He grabbed her with terrifying strength from where she hovered, pulling her to him.  
  
"Get off me you little sod!" she shrieked. "I don't want none of your party games!"  
  
He held her tightly against him and kissed her roughly on her permanently smiling mouth. She struck him across the face and he grinned at her, kissing her again.  
  
"Ugh!" he cried. "Useless! No lips at all!"  
  
He flung her to the side and ran. Her braking thrusters stopped her in time, before she struck the wall. She stared after him, sobbing quietly, as he bolted down the hall.  
  
"I thought we were friends..." she hiccuped. Boyle ran to her a moment later.  
  
"Emmy!" he cried. "I saw that! I'll tear him apart!"  
  
"No! Something's wrong..."  
  
"First boy you meet outside of me and Bloch, and you go soft? Don't defend him!"  
  
"It's not like that! We're friends! You're friends! You saw him earlier, he didn't even try to touch me..."  
  
"I also saw his temper! We just met him, who knows what he's really like?"  
  
"It's not right..." she persisted, floating down the now empty hall. "He couldn't even remember how to walk right for a minute. He needs help. I'm going to find his mum."  
  
"What if he grabs you again?" Boyle demanded, following her. "What if he tries to get biological?"  
  
"Don't got no ports for that, stupid. Even if he has a willy, he can't plug himself in if I don't got a port."  
  
"Yeah, alright... well, I'm coming with you." He stumped along beside her. "Dunno why they'd give him a willy anyway."  
  
"Eh, yehr just jealous 'cause you ain't got one."  
  
"What would I even do with it?" he snapped. "Just gets yehr in trouble."  
  
"Yeah..." she said faintly, wondering where to look for Hatchet.  
  



	154. Selecting a victim, ...and finding one, Hey, where's lots of people? - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: these chapters are all pretty graphic. There's an assault in this one as well, or the beginnings of an assault.

Wearing an old face plate of male Rabbit, Jen wandered down the halls and looked at every picture hanging the walls. Some were of drawings the Peter's had done, some were photos of the bots in paper clippings, and some were fancy photos of the bots all together, or even by their selves. She liked seeing a mirror reflection of her own face in the pictures of younger Rabbit.  
  
She had been wondering for quite some time now while her siblings had fun in the game room with the other robotic children. Even A.M. was busying herself by being the sound-system for the games. A simple plug in and she was a stereo, like how Craig had designed her.  
  
She enjoyed the silence every once in a while, and this was one of those times. The day had been a stress on her and she needed a calm down for her wrists. After all, they did need the most care out of all the parts in her body. Flipping pans, stirring things, flipping things, kneading dough, chopping things; her wrists were her lively hood. Now she got a well-needed break.  
  
As she stopped to admire a painting of UpGrade, she heard footsteps come her way. She turned her head to suddenly come upon a silver automaton, one that looked like The Jon, but was silver and had higher cheek bones and a more defined body structure.  
  
"Hello," she said, her mix-matched eyes meeting his green. "I'm J.E.N. Who are you?"  
  
T0mmy thought for a second. Play it smooth and fake it out as AJ? No, he couldn't pull off a Scott even if he was going to die.  
  
"Your worst nightmare," he replied. Before Jen could smile, thinking he was joking, T0mmy grabbed her arm and pulled her against him. He was much taller than her and over powered her strength by a whole lot more than she thought. He was much skinnier than she, but the strength of the underworld was plenty enough, it seemed.  
  
"Let go of me!" Jen shouted, trying to pull herself away before he could grab the other arm, but it was too late. He grinned with a Cheshire Cat smile down at her and blew in her face, purple smoke swirling around her. She coughed and suddenly fell limp in his grip. With a chuckle, he threw her over his shoulder and found the nearest room, throwing her to the floor.  
  
He pulled her hair from the bun and the blonde hair splattered across the floor around her head. He grinned. Blondes were always so dumb. He undid the (way too) many buttons of the dress she wore and tore it open. Taken aback by the lack of anatomy, he growled and continued onward. T0mmy looked behind himself to make sure no one was coming and waved a hand at the door.  
  
That same protective barrier came up, knowing he was hidden and so was she, as long as he was touching the copper metal of her skin. With nimble fingers, he did the unimaginably unmentionable and found nothing to be there. He let out a firm sigh. Looking to the window, he dressed her back up like a doll and dragged her out into the hallway, disappearing before she awoke.  
  
Someone else, someone he could tear apart with some fun... human, maybe? All of them were back in that room. But, maybe if one chef was walking about, another could be around? Rosanna? He smiled and made sure he walked like AJ for a while, then headed straight for the kitchen. She was bound to be there, surely.  
  
"Miss Ro?" he called, trying his best at the accent. "Are ye there?"  
  
When he peered in, he saw someone else. Carolina. She was rummaging through the fridge, grabbing a can of soda and a handful of baby carrots. She turned and saw AJ, nearly dropping the carrots.  
  
"Oh! No, Ro went to bed. But, AJ, I want to talk to you." She set her things down on the counter and walked to the little table, sitting down and pulling out a chair for him. He sat down and looked at the woman as she ate a baby carrot and offered him one. He shook his head and she shrugged.  
  
"The way I reacted wasn't wrong, but, I'm sorry for being so mean to you at the fair today. I should have accepted your apology, really, and now I'm saying that I am. AJ, I accept your apology. Can we stay friends? I don't want this to make us enemies for the rest of my life here..."  
  
T0mmy studied her. She was apologizing to Admin Jon, but it was Tomahawk who was hearing it...  
  
"No," he said simply. "I don't want you to. I made you lust fer mah and Iee don't fink ye should accept at. But..."  
  
"But, what?"  
  
"But maybe ye could hep me wif mah home'rk. There's a couple of problems I cahn't figure out fer the life of me..."  
  
Carolina smiled and nodded, drinking her soda. She handed him the can and he distastefully drank it down. The stood and T0mmy gleefully led her up to his little apartment.  
  
=  
  
"Nice place," she said, looking around to the blue circuitry-lined walls, similar to the red in the H.O.W. T0mmy didn't, but AJ loved it. He nodded and smiled back at her, sitting down in his hammock. He grabbed his bag from the floor and looked at the homework list on the front of his binder. "Trig pg. 254 #2-#50 all" it read. He sighed and pulled out his trigonometry book and patted the hammock beside him. She walked over and sat down, watching him.  
  
If AJ could do it, so could he... T0mmy found his way into the room's systems, undoing some of the wires from the hammock by tirelessly controlling a directional panel linked though his main-frame set up. As soon as Carolina read a problem with a puzzled look on her face, T0mmy had everything planned out, and then executed it.  
  
Wires wrapped around Carolina's feet, then grabbed her wrists before she could react to the ones around her ankles, holding her in place. She screamed in pain of her already broken wrist and looked to AJ, seeing the smile drawn tightly to his face. He dropped the book, locked the door, and ran a hand up her thigh.  
  
He brought his hand right beside her face, and chuckled in her ear. His other hand pressed against her mouth and he whispered "wrong problem" into her ear, perfectly American sounding. She tried to escape but he pushed her down hard on the hammock with a loud, evil laugh.  
  
"You won't enjoy this," he said at her as he took off his beanie and started unbuttoning his vest, "But I surely will. To feel the power I've lost from all those years under your feet." She went wide eyed, watching him slowly take off the black silk vest and toss it to the floor.  
  
"I just want to be able to feel like someone belongs to me for once, forever. Someone who will do anything and everything I say. I'm tired of being that one person. I'm sick and tired of being the one who sits and watches teacher teach nothing but protocols that I never will follow in all of eternity, as you can probably guess..."  
  
She tried to scream, but was suddenly struck across the face to be silenced. Tears fell from her eyes and she prayed for Leo to come to her aid, but was found by herself with a deranged automaton upon her, using her as a doll to play with and beat all he wanted.  
  
=  
  
Beeper versus Boyle. The boys stared each other down before looking to the screen, controllers in hands. Beeper wanted to race someone in Mario Kart for the Wii, and Boyle was next in the roster to play someone. A.M. adjusted her volume and smiled at the little brother.  
  
And they're off! Beeper swayed from side to side, biting his lip in evil glory as he stole a question bock from the other.  
  
"Beeper," Lynn scolded, "Don't be crude."  
  
"It's a game, mom!" he shouted back in all his boyishness. Modeled to be a young man, he was quite playful and quite serious. This was just a mash of the two, if no one could tell. "And Imma win!"  
  
"Go Boyle!" Princess beamed.  
  
"I'm your brother, not him!"  
  
"But he's British!"  
  
"But he's not your brother!"  
  
Princes snarled at her older brother and Lizzie laughed. It was just like how she and Paul fought, even though Paul was much younger than the age of Beeper's model before being bitten. The vampires watched as Pruitt, Janelle, and Paint all sat next to each other, minding their own little triangle of a drawing war.  
  
The objective was to draw a scene of another person in the room in a place you loved the most. Pruitt chose Anthony (in hopes of him never seeing it), Janelle chose Michael, and Paint chose her Raggedy Ron doll. Anthony, sitting against an old oak tree, dark and deadly, Pruitt drew. Little did she know he was standing right behind her, watching her sketch.  
  
Michael was at the wheel of the Mach 5, a smile on his face. Ron was perched up against a chest in a dark, wooden room, presumably an attic or crawl space. They stopped and showed each other the drawings. Anthony smiled. He noticed Janelle looking right up at him. He put a finger to his lips and reached down, grabbing the drawing from Pruitt. She instantly shot up, hovering above the ground and glaring at him.  
  
And then her face went blue and her black eyes wide. His eyes were still a tad grey, a bit thirsty, but trying his best to hold out. She was full, and now staring at him looking at the drawing of him. Jingle and Paint snickered and continued on detailing their drawings.  
  
"Anthony, I-"  
  
"No, no, it's cute. I like it." he smiled sweetly at her. Annie raised an eyebrow at them and Pruitt looked away from Anthony, still blushing wildly. "Just. Like You!" He grabbed her side and pulled her in for a kiss which she gladly accepted, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
"Children are present," Princess and Paul shouted, making Lynn and Lizzie laugh. Ian groaned and grabbed Anthony's foot, pulling him back down to the floor, and making him sit back in the YouTuber circle.  
  
"Ray, your turn," Ian said. Ray pulled a piece of paper from Ian's Ash Ketchum hat and smiled. He shoved the paper under his butt and uncapped the dry erase marker, drawing something on the little white board he had.  
  
"It's a jackal!" Anthony shouted. "t's a jackal! It's a jackal!"  
  
"It's not a jackal!" Ray shouted back. Ian laughed, making Tiffany laugh,, too. Timmy was focused on winning, watching Ray's eyes on the board.  
  
He turned the board around to a cruel drawing of something circular with big eyes and a line through it. Pokemon Pictionary, Lynn studied.  
  
"Voltrob?" Anthony asked. Ray shook his head and Timmy smacked the floor with the palm f his hand.  
  
"Electrode!" he yelled. Ray nodded and Timmy took a Pokemon card from the deck, adding it to the two he already had.  
  
Ray passed the board and marker to Tiffany who then reached into the hat and pulled out a piece of paper. She sighed, putting it on the floor and drawing what she could of a Ghastly. As they played, Lynn and Annie talked with the other girls about Vivian who was also in the circle, completely deaf to the things they were talking about.  
  
"At mine," Lynn started, "V had payed for four boxes of pizza, but we ended up with fifteen. So, we gave a whole bunch to the strippers Riley paid for!" They laughed. Vivian sat.  
  
"I didn't have much of one," Annie sighed, "But talking about it with my girlfriends was fun, anyhow. Lots of ideas for man part cakes and so on."  
  
"What do you want to do for yours?" Bunny asked the quiet white-haired beauty. She looked around at them with those violet eyes of hers and gulped.  
  
"I ain't wantin' anythin' too special," she said, twiddling her fingers. "But somethin' fun I'll like. Something with some jazz and some city lights."  
  
The girls thought. "What about a New Orleans themed gay-bar blow out?" Chelsea offered. They talked about it more for a while, but didn't agree with Chels' idea.  
  
"A blues bar and lots of wine?" Paige said. Vivian lightened up at the sound of that.  
  
"As long they be playin' jazz," she smiled. They talked over that and thought on it, until someone piped up with  
  
"Hey, where'd Emmiline go?" from a worried Bloch.  
  
"And Carolina?" by Matter Master David  
  
"And J.E.N.?" from a tiny voice of Princess...  
  
"Yeah," Steve said, "Where'd they go?"  
  



	155. Looking for AJ, Finding AJ

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bloch has a kind of Baymax mojo.
> 
> Warning: "tense family scene" is putting it mildly. Mom-fu, evil possession, prevented rape... we're very hard on some of these people.

"Steve? When did you get back?" Sam asked.  
  
"About twenty minutes ago," Steve said, looking around. "Seriously, where is everyone?"  
  
"I could take that as an insult," said Sam. "Who's the big guy?"  
  
"Oh! This is Bloch."  
  
Bloch stared down at Sam with a blank, ominous stare. He raised one hand and waved gently.  
  
"How do you do, sir?" he intoned. "Pleased to meet you." Sam grinned.  
  
"And that sums up Bloch," said Steve, patting the large automaton on the arm. "Boyle, where's your sister?"  
  
"Yes, love... and AJ," Carol said. "You three weren't supposed to go wandering about."  
  
"Um... I don't want to make anyone feel awkward, but... they _are_ teenagers..." Sam said quietly. "Maybe they're off together, y'know... necking or... something."  
  
Steve laughed. "And they're friends. Just friends. You didn't see them at the fair, Sam. Totally not gonna happen." Sam shrugged.  
  
"Yes, and as for the something, Samuel," Carol added with a scowl, "Emmeline isn't structured for that sort of funny business and I am certainly not going to ask about AJ. So where did they go, then? Boyle, love? Why aren't you answering?"  
  
Boyle looked at them all blankly. Suddenly he blinked three times rapidly and barked, "Fine! They're off snogging!"  
  
"Was that so hard to admit?" asked Sam.  
  
"Yes!" he howled, dropping his game remote. "I'm lying! AJ grabbed her and made her kiss him and when he figured out she don't 'ave lips he run off and she went after him 'cause she said he needed help 'cause somefing was wrong wif 'im..."  
  
"Slow down, darling!"  
  
"...And... and... I followed her but she couldn't find 'is mum and after a while I gave up but she's still wandering around and that li'l tosser might have gotten her! Only she told me I better tell everyone they were off snogging so no one would get mad at him!"  
  
"What's going on?" asked David, walking to them. "Five sent me back to ask everyone to stay here but we have people missing..."  
  
"AJ and Emmy, Carolina, and J.E.N," Sam reported.  
  
"Did you say Jan or J.E.N.?"  
  
"What?" Janelle asked from where she was curled up next to Michael.  
  
"Right, J.E.N. then," David said, giving her a little wave. "It's getting hard to keep all the names straight."  
  
"You know where AJ's mum is!" cried Boyle. "Right? Tell 'er 'e's in trouble!"  
  
"What? What kind of trouble?" David asked, frowning.  
  
"If Emmy's right, he's malfunctioning I suppose," Carol said worriedly.  
  
"And what if she's wrong, Mum? What if 'e's just being a swine?"  
  
"Then there's gonna be a line around the block to pin his butt to the wall," Steve said calmly.  
  
"I'll be first in line," Boyle said darkly, waiting to be scolded for it.  
  
"Second," called Carol.  
  
"Third," intoned Bloch.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, calm down everyone..." Steve laughed nervously. "I was just kidding... David, get Peter on the radio and tell him to send Spine and Hatchet after their kid. Failing that, Leo could..."  
  
He trailed off. David was punching buttons on his phone rapidly, but the look on his face... Steve looked at Carol worriedly.  
  
"Five?" David was saying. "Hey, AJ is having some kind of problem, sounds like an impulse control issue... what? Yes, besides the obvious teenager stuff," he said in a long-suffering tone, muttering, "Old fart..." under his breath. "What? Um, no, sorry... right, Hatchet should find him, sounds like he's just running around willy-nilly and he kissed Emmeline against her will... yeah, seriously!" He sighed sharply. "Right. Thanks."  
  
He turned off his phone and Steve caught him by the arm and pulled him out of the room. Sam hurried after them, waving the others back inside. Bunny jogged out soon after.  
  
In the hall, the four formed a huddle as Steve said, "Alright, David, what have we missed? Keep it short, my instincts are sharp and my hackles are way up right now... things are not right around here, and that's saying something."  
  
"What is a hackle anyway?" asked Sam. Bunny shushed him.  
  
David sighed. "You're not gonna like any of it."  
  
"So what else is new?" she said gloomily.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchet lifted her husband onto the work table and strapped him down again. Why had Leo removed his straps? It didn't make any sense, but she had no other ideas as to how he had gotten loose.  
  
She looked at the few torn straps on the table... they were the ones she most wanted to use, the ones crossing his chest, and the only ones damaged. As if... as if someone had tried to hold him down in a hurry and chose the ones that seemed most likely to keep him in place.  
  
"Do you think the straps were already off when Leo came in?" she asked Five.  
  
"How could they be?" he asked her as he eased Leo onto his back on the floor. He kept muttering about a broken arm... "I hope Hatchworth and Rabbit get here with that pillow and icepack soon. I hate to just leave him on the floor. I'd send him to the hospital but they've as good as demanded we find another primary care service... and here he is, concussed with no concussion. Or whatever they call it."  
  
"What about Carolina??"  
  
"Didn't answer her phone."  
  
"Maybe she's sleeping?"  
  
"We asked everyone to stay in the game room. But it would be just like her to do as she saw fit. Bunny, too. Headstrong girls."  
  
Hatchet smiled weakly. He was younger than her but he sounded so old sometimes.  
  
"Possibly Vivian, she has some medical knowledge..."  
  
She trailed off. They looked at each other. No, he wouldn't be calling Vivian just yet.  
  
"Have you told Annie... y'know... about Peter?" she asked, stroking The Spine's cheek. She kissed him softly on the nose and resumed fastening straps.  
  
"Uh, no. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything either."  
  
"But aren't you worried about him? He's your son!"  
  
"Of course! Part of me wants to shake that boy over there and scream at him to think clearly and tell me where he sent my child!" He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "But obviously that won't speed things up. Hey, you don't suppose you could ask..."  
  
Hatchet clapped her hand to her head with a clang. "Grimm! Of course! He's bound to protect you all... he'll have to help!"  
  
"Well, get on it, girl!"  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Sorry. He's my son. Please, Hatchet..."  
  
His phone rang. She held her hand up, ready to transform, and hesitated.  
  
"David? Is everyone... he's what?" Five snorted. "You mean, besides the obvious teenager stuff?"  
  
Teenager?  
  
"I remember when I was sixteen..." he went on. "Are you grumbling? Okay... yeah, she's... seriously? Okay, okay, don't yell! Seriously, then. I'll get her right on it. Bye."  
  
"What is it now?" she almost wailed.  
  
"Your boy needs you. Seems to be running amok. Kissed Emmeline and she didn't appreciate it one bit."  
  
"Oh, AJ!" she groaned. "Idiot boy... alright. I'll see Grimm as soon as I can."  
  
"I hate to say this, but... take your time. Take care of your own. Your husband is in good hands, if I do say so myself. And Peter... well, I can only assume he ended up somewhere safe."  
  
She wished she could be so sure, but her son had to be stopped, so she smiled weakly and shifted into her mist form. She had a very ugly dread growing... She couldn't even track him... there had been no time to mend his tracking chip. So she would have to search manually.  
  
She started in AJ's room, not expecting much... and what she found brought her back to solid form with a gasp.  
  
Carolina, bound and half-exposed, her panties already tugged halfway off her hips, half her face purple and swollen, and AJ grinning over her! Hatchet forced herself to remain calm. Maybe it wasn't how it looked... but no, it was! She could only hope it hadn't happened yet...  
  
She was still invisible. She heard Carolina sobbing, "If you're gonna do it, just do it then! Get it over with so Leo can tear you apart with a clear conscience! Because if he doesn't, I promise you I will! There's plenty of power tools around here..."  
  
AJ snorted and laughed loudly, crouching over her on the bed. Hatchet frowned. She'd never heard him laugh like that! But it did remind her of someone... someone who would be the most likely to have set The Spine loose...  
  
"You're just a means to an end," he was sneering into her face as Hatchet tried to decide the best way to stop him without hurting him. "You think I'd leave you capable of using a tool... even knowing what a tool was? You'll be lucky if I leave you breathing, meatbag." His grin widened as he angled his head toward Hatchet. "So, mummy, aren't you going to stop me?"  
  
"What?" Carolina snapped, looking the same direction.  
  
"Oh, right, I don't sound like myself today. Ach! Hoots mon! Ah'm gon ta gie ye sech a keckin'! Ah'll shag ye rotten, ye wee..."  
  
"Oh, give over!" snapped Hatchet, materializing. "You're caught, so just untie her! And cover her for pity's sake!"  
  
"Hatchet!" gasped Carolina, her anger giving way to a sob of relief. "Wh-where's Leo?"  
  
Hatchet waved at her as reassuringly as she could, her eyes still on her son... if this was her son. How wrong could his programming have gone to cause him to do this? What had happened to him during those few minutes alone at the fair? If he had been born of her flesh, she could almost see him turning to the bad. But he was built to specs in Biscuit Town by gentle people... he might be a little sh** but he wasn't a sociopath... her brother, on the other hand...  
  
"Please, AJ, love..." she said, playing along. "I don't know what's wrong but we can take a look just as soon as you power down..."  
  
AJ snorted once more with laughter and she knew, no doubt in her mind, that it wasn't him anymore. Her expression hardened. She raised one hand and dark energy swirled around her feet, channeling from the very nether and coiling its way around her body and up to her fingers.  
  
AJ's eyes widened but his smile remained. The effect chilled her more than the coiling nether mist.  
  
"Oh, mummy, you aren't going to strike your own son, are you? No, mummy! I promise I'll be good!"  
  
He doubled up in mad laughter. Hatchet carefully wiped tears from her eyes, never looking away, no matter how desperately she wanted to...  
  
"I'll do what I have to do," she said evenly, her voice calm and steady even as her insides trembled.  
  
"But to strike me, you must strike him," he hissed. "You know it's meee... don't you, dear sister?"  
  
She nodded. "Let him go. He never did anything to you."  
  
"But he did something to you! He made you a joyful mother! Didn't he? For all his crap, he fills you with pride and joy, doesn't he? Eh? I can almost see you curled into a contented ball with him as a plump little baby..."  
  
He said this with a sneer, but she felt a stab of warmth at the imagery... Her son... She wouldn't let him do this to her child! She would save him...  
  
But as she stared at him, she wondered just where in there her son was... or if he was already gone.  
  
"He does make me joyful. I love him more than anything..."  
  
"Even his father?"  
  
"Does that matter?" she gulped. "They're everything to me... and you know it. You hate us all for it. But you didn't destroy my husband and I won't let you destroy my son."  
  
Carolina had taken the opportunity to scoot back in the bed and wriggle herself into a halfway modest position, where she was now staring back and forth between them. Hatchet had no time to explain to her...  
  
"Me? You're the one aiming a blast of nether ice at his heart! Go ahead, fire away! If you're willing to murder your own son to save this woman, this bag of meat who refused his advances and his apologies... If you're willing to slaughter him cold to spare her from humiliation, then strike!"  
  
She continued to stare him down. "Let my son go or I will strike."  
  
"Ah, but you can't..." he crooned. "Look at you! Or better yet... Look at me! I believe I was about to make a man of him. Come here, Carolina. Mother can watch..."  
  
Carolina cringed and cried out as AJ reached for her. Hatchet closed her eyes as much as she dared, raised her hand slightly, and blasted her son in the head.  
  
She clamped her eyes shut then, heard the slam as he struck the wall and clamped her lips together to keep from sobbing aloud even as Carolina screamed.  
  
"Y-y-y-you... d-did it..." she heard him gasp.  
  
She slowly opened her eyes. Pushing down her agony, she said tightly, "I would rather see him dead than let him be your slave. I would rather lose him than let him live with what I must endure, knowing my body was used for rape. I love him too much to let him become your toy!" she roared at last, raising her hand again. "I can burn you both, body and soul, see if I don't... and your own body, wherever it is, will be left to rust!"  
  
"B-b-but..." he stuttered, the damage beginning to tell.  
  
"GET OUT OF MY CHILD!" she screamed.  
  
A look of pure hatred passed across her son's sweet face before black mist exploded from his mouth and his body tipped sideways with a thud. Hatchet blasted the swiftly moving mist with all she had and soft ashes rained down all over the room. She heard two faint wails; one inside the room and one trailing into the distance. T0mmy had lost his ride... the dark familiar was now nothing but soot, destroyed by one of the few beings capable of it's destruction.  
  
"Ha-Hatchet..." gasped Carolina, trembling violently with shock.  
  
Hatchet dropped to the floor beside her son. He started to stir, but it was jerky, broken movement... his voice box stuttered static and his neck was ticking to one side. He looked up at her and she could see in his eyes that he knew her.  
  
"I'm so sorry!" she sobbed, heart-broken, afraid to hold him and worsen the damage. "AJ..."  
  
"Th-th-th-th-th-tha-tha-thank-thanks..." he jittered, twitching like a broken marionette. His limbs began to thrash of their own accord. He looked scared...  
  
She caught him gently now, and held him still. "We'll fix you, darling," she whispered, carefully pulling him to her despite the constant flailing of his limbs. "It's going to be alright."  
  
"Mu-mu-mu-mu-mu-mum... sh-sh-sh-sh-shut d-d-d-d-d..." he gasped in a crackling voice.  
  
"Hush... hush, love... I know." She kissed his head and reached around his back, flipped open a panel and shut him down, relieved that he was still not a full Reaper... he could still be switched off.  
  
She turned away from him quickly. She wanted to hold him and just rock and tell him it would be all better when he woke... but there was no time and she couldn't look at him this way, not while she still saw herself blasting his body across the room... She had things to do, and she needed things to do, or she was sure she would break down on the spot.  
  
She turned to Carolina, who was curled up the best she could manage. She could hear her whispering, "Leo..."  
  
Hatchet carefully removed the wires binding her as the woman gasped in pain, then gently wrapped her in a blanket, and carried her from the room as Carolina sobbed into her shoulder.  
  
\----------  
  
T0mahawk swore, once more trapped in his body. He'd been sure that linking to the familiar was his ticket... that it would take him straight to AJ, and it did! Gravity had almost arrived in time to prevent it, but not quite.  
  
But now! Now that his familiar was dust, he could do nothing! He weighed as much as fifty elephants and he couldn't so much as lift an arm!  
  
And it only got worse. There was a puff of dark mist somewhere behind his head. He trembled.  
  
"Hello, Hawk," Grimm said pleasantly, leaning over him with a sinister smile. "I hear you've been keeping busy."  
  
T0mahawk screamed.  
  



	156. Stuck i nthe game room, Finding Jen - NinjaPastry

Janelle was cuddling up to Michael, nearly asleep in his arms. Mike wanted to get her to bed, but the way the couch felt was just so nice, and she looked so comfy in her Speed Racer pajama pants and pink, tight tank top. Her black curls were a mess around her shoulders, draped over one of his, and a slight smile was on her tired face.  
  
"Aw c'mon man!" Ray yelled. Super Smash Bros, Ian vs. Ray vs. Steve vs. Jon. "You can't just use a power up like th- what the- Really?!"  
  
"Ray," Michael hissed, "shut up!" Janelle looked up at Ray and he looked back, then quickly back to the screen. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"  
  
"Yeah, lights out in an hour," Annie announced. Drones and groans from the child-bots and some of the adults made her smile, but her announcement was firm. She smiled over everyone as she stood, walking to the light switch and dimming it. "But, that does mean you have to be quiet for the next hour."  
  
"Renixs, huddle up and power down now," Lynn called. "A.M., you can stay up while the video games are still going on. Paint, would you please relocated Jennifer for me, sweetheart?"  
  
Some looked to the cyborg as she shut her eye and fell back onto her jet pack, then made a couple of beeping sounds. Anthony was most perplexed by this showing of displeasure, but he smiled once she sat up and shook her head.  
  
"You can't find her anywhere?" Lynn asked. Now there was panic in her usually calm and motherly voice. The two looked to A.M. still softly playing the music to a battle, her green eyes swiping over into a look of curiosity.  
  
"Mummy," Princess said, making Carol look, "where's Jenny got to?" She threw herself over the back of the couch, kicking Jingle's feet a bit. She winced and curled up her legs against Michael, causing him to glare at the little pink bot.  
  
"Careful," she whispered at first, then snapped to attention of her question. "Well, honey, she's off someplace wondering about... Probably searching for recipes of some sort. You know her."  
  
"Paint said she can't find her, though, mum."  
  
"Because she likes to turn her chip off," Lynn recoiled. Princess got a childish glare upon her face, one that gave her a challenge: a battle of the wits.  
  
"She gets lost and wants you to find her a lot."  
  
"That's always a game."  
  
"Chef Ramsey taught her that games aren't the world, and that cooking is."  
  
"She worked on a pirate ship. They're all about games."  
  
"Pirates don't exist in this dimension. We know our manners in whatever dimension we're in."  
  
"Then understand yours. Get off the couch, shut your mouth, and go power down with your brother." Lynn looked tot he bot sharply. She sighed and slid off the couch, then walked around to where Beeper was propped up against the wall and shut down next to him.  
  
Lynn looked to Annie who had a sympathetic smile upon her face. "I understand. Keeping things like that from Peter was such a stress on my body. Not to mention how nosy The Jon was at the time... keeping things from him was even harder with Rabbit at everyone's heels every minute of the day." She laughed heartily, letting Lynn relax a bit.  
  
"While you have five running about a large house in the 'hood', as you so call it, I had six plus running about a mansion in the middle of San Diego!" she added to her reasoning. Lynn only smiled and nodded. Bunny sat upright, a little uncomfortable in her seat.  
  
"Ya know, I'm not liking this whole 'missing persons report' thing going on right now..." she said with a slight glare into nothing. Ian threw down the Wii remote and Ray held a hand to his face to hide his hysteric laughter. Steve, however, bellowed and smacked Ian on the back.  
  
"I mean, we're missing three key parts of this entire crew, and by not obeying Five's rules, I'm not enjoying this at all... Carolina would never wander off like that and be gone for this long, and Jen, whoever she may be like, isn't here and should be. And... AJ not here? I'm not to excited about that, either..."  
  
"Well," Lynn said, leaning back in her seat, "Jen does like to look at pictures and paintings, an art she likes but can't do herself. She could be looking at some around the hallways."  
  
"What a smart way to get lost." Everyone looked to Annie's rather dark remark.  
  
"Exactly," Bunny added. Lynn looked around at them and let out a sigh. "Also, Leo's gone and so is Hatchet. I have a feeling something's not up to par with us. We're not being updated."  
  
"Well, Five did send for Rabbit and Hatchworth," Vivian said. Her voice was small compared to the others, for she had gotten lost in thought about what the Gods would do with her if anything where to happen to Peter before their marriage.  
  
"But send them for what?" Lynn asked. Annie could only shrug, same for Chelsea and Bunny. Vivian sank back into her thoughts quietly and played with the ring on her finger.  
  
"Hopefully something to do with making pine better," Bunny smirked. "I mean, that's what we're here for, right? because of The Spine?"  
  
"Quite so," Annie said with deep thoughts. "However, it's very unlike Peter- my Peter- to be keeping things from me about situations like these..."  
  
"It can only be for the best," Chels reassured. "Maybe he doesn't want us scared or something."  
  
"We have half of the Walter staff and all of the family in one room in their pajamas with a pretty big crowd of important people missing. I think that's a little shaky on it's feet."  
  
"Well, just get some sleep, okay? I'm sure he'l say something good by morning."  
  
"Next thing you know Hatchet will come in and report that Spine has to be put in the grinder or something of that sorts," Annie sighed. "Did he say we had to sleep in here? I thought the extra beds in the room across the hall were for us," she said with a different tone.  
  
Bunny stood and walked out, disappearing into the room Annie had mentioned. She was tired and took her chance to leave while she could.  
  
=  
  
"Please," Hatchet said into Carolina's neck as the human clung to the reaper, "you have to get rest." They were in her and Leo's room and she was terrified of letting go of Hatchet, not wanting AJ to return to try and attack her again. "Darling, please, you must let go. I need to tend to my son and my husband..."  
  
She nearly mentioned Leo and held her tongue, setting the shaking Carolina into her empty bed. "Let me get you some trousers and a tank top and I'll get you one of Leo's jackets and you'll be off the sleep," she tried soothing her. Carolina loosened her grip around Hatchet's neck and the bot bit her lip.  
  
She slowly slid into her bed and cried into Leo's pillow, Hatchet watching the dark spirits swarm around her. With a shot of darkness, Hatchet pulled out a spice from her wrist and sprinkled it over Carolina, hiding the fact she just did that by turning around quickly to the closet.  
  
She rummaged about, finding a pair of pajama pants and a bed shirt, slipping them onto her as best the reaper could. As Carolina started to drift into sleep, Hatchet pulled the covers up over her, placing a metallic hand to her forehead and helping her fall asleep instantly.  
  
Just hearing the spirits around her chanting and singing gave Hatchet a tug to the heart. Of all the love the dead was giving to her, she'd be forever haunted by those who cause it... Possibly including Hatchet herself.  
  
The slender woman slid out of the room and put up a solid barrier, making sure no living things could enter or exit the room. Leo was an exception, though, for he was reaper... but, that would leave wiggle room for Tomahawk to have another go at her if given a vessel... And there were plenty of them...  
  
She brushed her thoughts off and headed down the hallway. She heard something from another room and poked her head in, noticing a lanky little blonde Rabbit-like bot sitting on the floor in a dress similar in design to a chef's jacket with a pin on the left collar that looked like the Hell's Kitchen symbol and a Master Chef on the opposing.  
  
Hatchet gasped, realizing it was her elder sister, J.E.N. She walked slyly into the room and knelt down beside the chef, looking her over. She saw deep hand prints on her arms and felt her heart sank.  
  
"Hey, scrap-metal," Jen sighed, "what happened?"  
  
"You were attacked by my unfairly god-forsaken clone in which I'd rather not applaud for wiping your memory for." Jen looked at her strangely and Hatchet slid her arms under Jen's slender legs, lifting her into the air. She wrapped her shaking arms around Hatchet's neck and sank against her, shutting her eyes and falling back into stasis.  
  
Hatchet walked around a bit more, seeing if she could find any unlucky lady T0mmy had the way around of. Thankfully she didn't and returned her sister to the game room. Lynn stood quickly as Hatchet brought her in. A.M. put the speakers on mute and stood as well. Those who were still awake walked over to them and Hatchet set her on the couch, making sure she wasn't going to touch Jingle's feet.  
  
"Where was she?" Lynn asked. She seemed more frantic than the other heads of the room.  
  
"I found her in someone's room on the floor. She was... she... I don't know, really. She was asleep on the floor and I carried her in here."  
  
"Did he get to her?"  
  
Hatchet looked sharply to Annie with wide teal eyes. Her first thought was T0mmy. How did Annie know about him? Did he get into the game room? Who else did he attack?  
  
"Did Spine get to her?" she clarified. Hatchet sighed and shook her head, both in disbelief and to answer the human.  
  
"Wait, how did you know about The Spine?"  
  
"We were talking about him," Lynn said. "We thought something was wrong... I guess that means there isn't."  
  
"No, there very much is," Hatchet said, giving the women an uneasy feeling, "But there are men on the job making sure nothing bad happens. Just be sure everyone gets rest tonight, please. I'll be away."  
  
"Of course, sweetheart," Lynn said. She put a hand to her shoulder and smiled kindly. Annie saw the motherly look and looked to the fear on Hatchet's face. Knowing Hatchet to be such a strong, independent servant to darkness, this was strange. Sadness, fear, and the way she looked at Lynn as if she were her actual creator gave Annie a chill up the back.  
  
"I apologize to frighten you. If she wakes, shut her off. Her systems are going to overload otherwise," the silver bot said under her breath, pulling her hood over her head and disappearing from view right in front of everyone.  
  



	157. Hatchet puts AJ away for a while, Annie rebels, Trying to reach Leo, Concussion victims shouldn't do magic, Hatchet finds Emmeline - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's maybe six or so left. Neither of us has loads of time right now (at least, mine is kinda taken by projects and other fics) so no word on updates yet. I'll drop a couple more warnings as we get closer.

The first thing to do was to tend to her child. The Spine was safe with his siblings and Peter V; but AJ was still on the floor, shut down. And though he had sustained considerable damage, she had to be sure he was restrained like his father. Just in case.  
  
Was love really worth all this suffering? She sighed. As if she'd had a choice. She'd loved The Spine for so long! He was the only thing that filled the emptiness. And it had been the most natural thing in the world to want a child with him, as if she had conceived and given birth like the humans did. They had provided the details, been the impetus to create the life, after which, that life had formed very much without their direct input... and he was decidedly his own person, more than their expectations and different than they had planned. And she had seen enough to know that it was exactly the same with a human child.  
  
She entered his room and looked down at him. His photoreceptors were still open. She closed them so that he looked asleep instead of dead. She had seen enough death to know the look. She gently brushed his hair from his face and sighed.  
  
If she hadn't felt such a pressing need to act, to take care of business, Hatchet would have been sorely tempted to head for her rusty, stinking closet for a good cry, even if it meant an oil bath after. Although after the last time, she rather felt that having the cry in a nice oil bath would be a good way to skip the filth and still get the same results...  
  
Later. At some point she would find the time and let it all out. Not now.  
  
She knelt beside him at last and lifted him like a little child instead of a tall teenager. His head tipped as she did so and rested heavily against her shoulder. She closed her eyes for a moment.  
  
"Poor love," she sighed, kissing his brow. "Have you had any happy moments since you were activated? It seems like you haven't... not with your rotten parents, anyway."  
  
She cradled him the best she could and faded out, whisking him through the house until she came to a lab used for robot maintenance. There was usually a heavy duty table just for The Spine in each of these... yes, there. Rabbit was closer in height but she wanted the strongest one, just in case. Besides, she noted that Rabbit's table had been adjusted so that the straps went across the waist instead of the chest...  
  
She placed him gently onto the table and strapped him down. She wasn't too worried about T0mmy being able to harm him at this point... not in this case. She had made herself clear... she would sooner destroy her child than let him be eaten away and used. Besides... AJ wouldn't function now anyway.  
  
She stared down at him and wiped at her eyes. She had meant it... The fact that he lay here in full shut down was evidence of that. No, T0mmy wouldn't get her child. But it broke her heart to look at him, just the same. She turned away.  
  
"How will I explain to your father?" she whispered.  
  
She still had to see to the others in the Manor. It felt strange... even though she had been their protector for years, she was now hurrying from place to place like the mother of many sick children rather than just one. Yes, it felt strange... and right, somehow. She would see to their needs while she was needed... and one other concern that everyone seemed to have forgotten...  
  
\----------  
  
"Steven, love! Where is she? I'm that worried!"  
  
Steve hugged Carol. "Annie? We're going out, okay? We need to find Emmeline..." he called as Lil Steve clambered up his pants and into his pocket.  
  
"She supposedly was looking for Hatchet, but I didn't get the chance to ask whether she found her..." Carol said worriedly. "And did she mention AJ? She was in such a hurry..."  
  
"That tears it..." Annie murmured, seemingly to herself. "Too many worried mamas. I'm done."  
  
"Oh..." Steve faltered. "No, Annie, I don't think you should..."  
  
"Why ever not?" asked Carol.  
  
Annie wasn't listening. She rose and casually strolled out the door. Sam, who was sitting on the couch with Chelsea, did a surprisingly acrobatic leap over the back of it and caught Annie by the arm. She shook him off.  
  
"Annie, come on. We're supposed to stay here. David said..."  
  
"Said what? Why is no one finishing their sentences?" she demanded.  
  
Sam gave her a watery smile. "We're all pretty tired..."  
  
She rolled her eyes and walked across the hall. "Bunny!"  
  
Bunny jerked awake and glared at her. She had been dozing over her drawing tablet. "What?"  
  
"Come on, time to find out where everyone is. No one is answering phones or questions around here..."  
  
"Oh, no, no, Annie! That would _not_ be a good thing..." Bunny said wearily as she hurried to the doorway. There was a small crowd gathering from the game room.  
  
"Why?" Annie growled in deep exasperation. "Talk to me!"  
  
"I... I can't, okay? You're just going to have to trust me that now is not the time..."  
  
"Bzzzt! Wrong answer!"  
  
She turned to go, hearing the muttering behind her as Sam and Bunny argued about what to do. She kept walking.  
  
"Well, we're going to find Emmy, so I guess we'll join you!" Steve said firmly. He and Carol hurried to join Annie.  
  
"Dang it, Steve! You too?" grumped Sam. He and Bunny ran along behind.  
  
And behind them, moving softly but swiftly and, like Annie, indifferent to permission, jogged Vivian.  
  
\----------  
  
"Are they all settled?" Five asked David as they worked.  
  
"Uneasy peace. I don't know how long Annie is going to make nice."  
  
"Annie girl..." Five chortled, twisting two wires together with pliers. "How did he manage this? It's just a little short but it was enough to reset battle mode to his 1897 settings!"  
  
"He and Hatchet get pretty rough..." David said uneasily.  
  
"Thank goodness the manor has been reinforced time and again over the last one hundred odd years. Anyway, I guess this hid from us before... last night's events must have been enough to spark and melt the connections. Either that or his head slammed into the wall too many times while... never mind. Don't want to think about it. Y'know, I thought he was totally Reaper now, didn't even need maintenance. But I guess Leo over there is the best explanation."  
  
"Leo? He can't explain anything. Well, not unless he explains it fifty times..."  
  
Hatchworth was sitting with Leo now, holding ice on his head and happily answering all of his questions over and over again. Rabbit had been asked to leave when she kept answering all of them differently every time... with increasingly outrageous answers. She hadn't left, however; she sat in the corner pouting and glaring at her little brother.  
  
"But he's not precisely alive, is he? I mean, he's living and breathing and pumping blood but he has that whole Reaper thing going on... I don't quite understand it, honestly. It's a little worrying. But with all this dark magic he can still get a head injury, from his own subordinate yet.  
  
"So The Spine is also still somewhat limited by his physical needs. He runs on power I don't understand but his brain, his processor, still requires the occasional repair." He sighed, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "It's kind of gratifying. I'd begun to think he'd grown beyond us. It hurt a little."  
  
"You're a soft-hearted old character, aren't you?" chuckled David.  
  
"Oh, shut up," Five said mildly. "Anyway, it's the same thing. A little physical problem and we need a doctor."  
  
"Where's Peter?"  
  
They both jumped and looked around to see who had asked. It was Leo. David swore softly and looked uncomfortably at Five.  
  
"It, uh... isn't very reassuring, is it?" Five asked shakily.  
  
Leo was looking at them with wide eyes. "Where's Peter?"  
  
Five turned away, looking down at The Spine's open head plates. "Please stop," he whispered.  
  
"Do not be troubled, Peter Fifth. I saw these in the war. He is only perseverating."  
  
"I know, Hatchy. Tell him Peter's fine, alright?" David said.  
  
"Very well."  
  
Hatchworth proceeded to tell Leo, over and over, that Peter was fine.  
  
"You okay?" David asked.  
  
"No. But at least someone will be." He snapped The Spine's head plates shut, one by one, replacing his hair and smoothing it. "Rabbit? Can you stand by?"  
  
Rabbit perked up. "On the job, Peter!" she cried, jumping to her feet with a clank.  
  
"Good... just in case he's still in battle mode..."  
  
"Oh...." she breathed. "Um... Peter, I can't handle him alone... I mean, I'm pretty good, but..." She sighed. "He can roll me up like a ball of tinfoil," she mumbled reluctantly.  
  
"Alright. Thank you for admitting it. Hatchy? We need you both."  
  
Hatchworth patted Leo reassuringly and walked over to stand near The Spine.  
  
"Peter Alexander Walter the Fifth!" snapped Annie, marching into the vault.  
  
Five put his hand over his face. David sighed loudly.  
  
"Annie, honey, you picked a He!! of a time to come in here..." Five groaned.  
  
"I am fed up with being kept in the dark!" she cried. She looked around. "Where's Peter?"  
  
"Where's Peter?" Leo asked sincerely.  
  
"Yes, where is he?" Annie said sharply, glancing at him sidelong. "Wait... Dear, why is he on the floor?"  
  
"He... look, honey, let's just step outside for a moment..."  
  
"Why? Where's our son, Peter?"  
  
"It's something we really need to discuss privately."  
  
"You're scaring me..."  
  
She followed him out of the vault as Sam, Bunny, Steve and Carol slipped in.  
  
"We tried to stop her," Sam apologized when David glared at him.  
  
"You know Annie. I guess I can't blame her but all things considered..." Bunny added.  
  
Steve sighed and Carol looked at each of them in turn and murmured, "Actually, I don't know but that I agree with Annie just now... you all know more than you're sharing."  
  
"Carol..." Steve sighed. "It's complicated."  
  
"I'm widely considered to be a rather bright girl, Steven."  
  
"It's just... Leo was trying to save Peter from The Spine, okay? He was malfunctioning and dangerous and Peter panicked, and Leo used some of that voodoo on him and he's disappeared! And Leo has a concussion and can't tell us where he sent him... if even he knows."  
  
"But..." Carol began. She stopped, her eyes wide. "Oh, no..."  
  
They all turned to look. Vivian was staring at them.  
  
"Oh, gracious... how long have you been standing there, dear?" sighed Carol unhappily.  
  
"Long enough," she murmured. "He... he's not dead... is he? He's gone... old Grimm probably knows where he is..."  
  
She seemed to be speaking to herself. Carol hurried to her and put her arms around her. Vivian didn't resist.  
  
"But... Leo has a concussion, you said?" she asked shakily.  
  
"Yeah, The Spine smacked him into the wall," David said quietly.  
  
Vivian shrugged off Carol's hug and knelt beside Leo. He looked up at her.  
  
"Vivian," he said.  
  
"Hey, cher. You know me... You been hurt?"  
  
"A... a mild concussion." He giggled softly.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I know why you came here."  
  
"I thought you might."  
  
"You came here to sleep with Peter," he said with a weak grin.  
  
"Not just that..." she murmured with a frown, glancing uneasily back at the others.  
  
"She what?" David asked. Someone shushed him.  
  
"Did you really?" whispered Carol.  
  
"It's difficult to explain..."  
  
"Vivian... I have a mild concussion..."  
  
"I know, baby. Please don't talk..."  
  
He started to giggle again. "I know why you came here. You came here to..."  
  
She clapped her hand over his mouth. She could hear him giggling through her fingers. She smiled wanly at Carol, who was now crouching beside her.  
  
"We'll talk later, dear," Carol said gently. "Leo, love. Oi, Leo... Where did you send our Peter, dear?"  
  
"He won't be able to answer, Carol..." Vivian sighed.  
  
"Peter?" Leo asked.  
  
"Yes, love..." Carol pressed. "His parents and his fiancée are that worried about him... Oh!" She put her hand to her mouth. "In all the excitement I forgot about my Emmeline!"  
  
Vivian patted her back. Carol shook her head and turned back to Leo with a determined look in her eye.  
  
"Now, then, Leonardo," she said in commanding maternal tones. "You put things right, love. You sent him somewhere and you must bring him right back so that we can get on with finding my girl and fixing Spine over there!"  
  
"Carol..." Vivian began.  
  
Leo sat slowly up. "I sent him away... and I have to bring him back..."  
  
"Yes, bring him back!" she said desperately.  
  
"Carol, please!"  
  
Leo squinted at the group clustered around The Spine. "I sent him away and I have to bring him back..."  
  
"Do you think he understands?" Carol breathed.  
  
"No, he's repeating again..." Hatchworth said sadly.  
  
"But..."  
  
Leo raised his hand. Vivian gasped and pushed Carol to the floor. A dark blast passed over them, engulfing the group on the other side of the room.  
  
"I sent him away and I have to bring him back..." He raised his hand again, looked at it in confusion, and lowered it. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall.  
  
"Leo?" gasped Carol from where Vivian had pushed her... but she hastily turned to look at the others. Vivian was already doing the same. Something wasn't right...  
  
"What did he do?" whispered Carol from where they had fallen.  
  
"I don't..."  
  
Several things happened at once. David's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed in what appeared to be a dead faint. Vivian winced as he dropped hard onto the floor... no one even tried to catch him... they were having struggles of their own.  
  
Sam started to cough and gasp. After a moment he stopped and looked around him with a blank smile, his hands folded in front of his chest. "How did I get over here?" he asked.  
  
Bunny screamed... a strange, drawn out, wheezing shriek, as though she had forgotten how to control her own throat. She clutched at it now, froze, and began patting herself all over.  
  
Even as David was hitting the floor, Steve began to flail wildly and flung his arms desperately together over the table. He clutched at it feebly, seemingly unable to move his fingers separately, and managed to hook his hands over the far edge. He stood that way, knees trembling, hanging across The Spine's legs, shouting incoherently as Lil Steve writhed deep in his pocket.  
  
Rabbit was staring down at them both with a look of disgust mingled with fear. She opened her mouth twice and grabbed at her chest.  
  
Hatchworth looked around at them all with wide eyes, his gaze finally resting on Sam. He let out a shrill shriek and cried, "You have got to be f'ing kidding me!"  
  
Vivian sat up quickly. Carol pushed herself up to a sitting position and cried, "What has come over you all? What has he done?"  
  
"I can't breathe!" gasped Rabbit.  
  
"What?"  
  
Five and Annie ran into the vault. "What in the world is all the shrieking about?" Annie cried.  
  
"I did not know this vault had a mirror," Sam said stiffly, smiling at Hatchworth.  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" cried Rabbit. She stood still for a moment, working her limbs, slowly inflating and deflating her bellows. "Leo! You... D@MMIT LEO!""  
  
"She... doesn't sound like a robot..." Carol said slowly.  
  
"Will someone answer me?" Annie demanded. Five just stared blankly.  
  
Vivian stood and walked to Steve. He looked up at her sidelong, still gripping the far side of the table over the inert body of The Spine.  
  
"I feel... meaty..." he gasped gruffly, a frightened look on his face. He coughed and a ball of fire shot from his mouth. He clamped his lips shut. Rabbit hastily beat out the flames as they struck her skirt, then stood staring at her undamaged hands.  
  
"It's true..." she said quietly, sinking to the floor next to David, who groaned and rolled onto his side.  
  
"Hatchet..." he murmured in a very low voice.  
  
"Hatchet?" Five asked. He hurried over and slapped David lightly on the cheek. David's arm jerked up and caught him by the wrist. Five started violently and shook him off, backing away as David's eyes opened.  
  
He looked around, puzzled, before seeing the table above him and gasping in shock. "Hatchet? Why am I back in here? Hatchet!"  
  
"She's not here... she's taking care of AJ," said Five carefully. "Why do you want her?"  
  
David looked up at him, wild-eyed. "Do I ask you why you want to see your wife?" he barked angrily. "Why is she taking care of AJ? Is he hurt? And why am I in here again? Where are they?"  
  
"What in the name of sanity!" Annie cried.  
  
David tried to stand and slipped back onto his bottom. "Ow!" he gasped. "Why am I so tender there?"  
  
"Um..." Annie murmured.  
  
He frowned and began opening and closing his mouth. He reached up and touched his face. "I'm... soft..."  
  
Bunny sank to the floor between him and Rabbit, her throat still softly wheezing.  
  
"So... just a little question but, are these what I think they are?" she asked, grabbing her own breasts and jiggling them slightly. "Only mine ain't wa-wa-water balloons..."  
  
"Get your hands off of those!" cried Rabbit. "Of course yours aren't... Rabbit, you're in my body!"  
  
Bunny/Rabbit looked over at Rabbit/Bunny.... or possibly the other way around. "Heyyyy... l-l-l-lookin' good!"  
  
"Shut up! Just shut up!" She put her face into her metal hands and let out a long moaning wail.  
  
"What?" cried The Spine/David, staring at his long pale fingers.  
  
"I should have taken Chelsea out tonight..." Sam/Hatchworth moaned.  
  
Five looked around the room. He saw Carol and Vivian and said, with unnerving calm, "Are you two switched as well?"  
  
"You what?" asked Carol.  
  
"Naw, we're fine, honey," drawled Vivian.  
  
"Oh, good," he said quietly. He turned and walked out of the vault.  
  
"Peter!" cried Annie, running after him. "You aren't leaving me to deal with this!"  
  
"I need a minute. I just need a minute. Don't switch David on yet... I'll be back...  
  
"Oh, Peter..." she sighed. She turned back to the others. "Wait... what do you mean, switch David on?"  
  
David/Spine looked up at her. "Something's wrong with me... Help me... Please find Hatchet..."  
  
"David..." she said faintly.  
  
"I'm not..." He looked at his hands again. "Am I?"  
  
Hatchworth/Sam sat on the floor beside him and gathered him into his arms. The Spine/David looked confused but sank into his arms and sighed. Rabbit/Bunny, now as soft as they were, leaned over and joined them. Sam/Hatchworth sat beside Bunny/Rabbit and patted her carefully on the back. And Steve clung to the table over what was now the inert body of David, lips tightly shut against any accidental fireballs.  
  
"Well," Annie said. "I guess what we need now is help. Steve... oh... right... wait, who could you have exchanged bodies with?"  
  
"Can someone get me out of here?" called a muffled voice from Steve's writhing pocket.  
  
Carol reached in and pulled the doll out, setting him on the table. The doll wobbled and fell over.  
  
"Carol?" it cried through its yarn head. "What's happened to me? Did I shrink?"  
  
She stared at it for a long moment and started to cry. Annie groaned and called upstairs for backup.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchet had business with Grimm before returning to Peter V, but she had one small errand to do before either. She swept through the manor, every nook, every corner. There were quite a lot of people in the vault now... she passed quickly rather than hear Annie cry about her son. It was too raw for her right now.  
  
But she could help one mother find her child.  
  
She found her at last in a far lab, fascinated with some odds and ends she had found there. Hatchet materialized and said sharply, "Young lady, you've worried your mother terribly."  
  
Emmeline jumped, turning. "Oh! Mrs AJ's mum!"  
  
Hatchet startled herself by giggling softly.  
  
Emmeline cried, "He's in terrible trouble and I came looking for you only I've gone and gotten lost in this labyrinth because my mum never could do aught with my homing signals and I finally gave up and hoped someone would find me and you have! Only AJ..."  
  
"Is... fine, love. AJ will be just fine."  
  
"He will? But... but he..."  
  
She stroked Emmeline's cheek plate and smiled, touched by her concern. So many people in the manor seemed to see AJ as a menace. Carolina certainly... but she couldn't be angry at Carolina now. In fact, she had a plan to help her by bringing Leo to her. If Carolina had the distraction of tending him, it might keep her from cracking entirely... occupational therapy. Hatchet was relying on that heavily herself.  
  
"He kissed you, I know. It was a malfunction."  
  
"Oh," Emmeline gasped. "Thank goodness for that! I mean, he's a nice looking bloke but really... We were getting on so well and then he had to go and get silly..."  
  
"No worries. Come along, love," she said kindly. "We'll get you back to your mummy."  
  
"Just mum, please, I'm not a baby."  
  
Hatchet smiled again. "Alright, love."  
  
They walked back toward the main part of the house, Emmeline chattering about the things she'd found in the lab. Hatchet found she enjoyed this moment of quiet in the chaos, just walking and talking with the girl like any ordinary woman might with a friend of her son. To Emmeline, Hatchet wasn't a Reaper or an automaton, she was an adult, her friend's mum. It was rather lovely to just be a person...  
  
She decided that if AJ and Emmy ever did decide, when they were older, to change their minds and try a romantic relationship, she, Hatchet, would be better than those who had mistreated her. She wouldn't interfere. As much as she'd suffered herself, she'd gained as well. She knew how it felt to be cast off, and she would be better than that.  
  
But as Emmy prattled on, she doubted the child would ever be interested in romance... indeed, anything besides gadgets.  
  



	158. A confusing narrative in which you're never quite sure who's doing what because body swap, Frickin' T0mmy still hasn't finished, but this time he's gone too far - NinjaPastry

Flesh. Flesh, bones, blood... Spine could feel himself, actually feel the hairs on his arms and the way his fingers bent and made the skin tug and everything. His heart, his actual pumping organ, was audible in the now foggy thoughts running through his mind.  
  
Actually, none of them were his. None of them were anyone's. Bunny fumbled with the Rabbit mechanics, not used to the amount of oxidization and rust lodging her pinkies from moving. Sam just kinda stood there, moping about with his new bowler hat and bronze stove structure.  
  
Images of his wife, Spine's own bride and love and joy, flashed about his mind and he gasped, looking back to Bunny who was still trying to chip away at the rust.  
  
"Miss Bunny," he started, but was interrupted by Rabbit playing with her rack.  
  
"Yes, Mater Master David?"  
  
"I'm The Spine, Rabbit, and you know it." He drew his now David-eyed attention over to the Bunny taken body of Rabbit and huffed a sigh. "Bunny, Please find Hatchet for me. I need her."  
  
The mix matched optics drew to his eyes and she nodded, forgetting of her fumbling and reaching for the cell phone between her breasts. Rabbit gasped and giggled.  
  
"Hey, you do that, too!"  
  
"Don't we all?" Bunny asked, raising an eyebrow. Now that Spine thought of it, Hatchet did sometimes keep hers there in the underworld when her dresses didn't contain belts with pockets and such.  
  
Bunny.. Rabbit... (aw screw it) Bunny drew the cell phone and opened it, pressing a few buttons and holding the phone up to her ear, metal hitting metal making her shiver.  
  
"Ian, yeah! I got a hold of her phone- um... Hey, is Hatchet in there? The silver lady bot?" Spine held his breath. For some worry hit him. She could have been switched with anyone, if she had been... Or eliminated. There were too many options. "Really? Okay. Thank you. Get some rest, dude."  
  
Bunny looked to Spine with a sigh. "She's in there, but she's not saying much. She has no idea what's going on any more than we do."  
  
"It must've been something Leo did," Annie spoke up. David curled into a little ball and huffed. His ran his fingers through what hair he had and looked to Bunny, then to Rabbit. Rabbit's face was more concerning than Bunny's, given they were switched and Bunny knew the pain of a broken heart, not exactly Rabbit. Well, of what she could remember.  
  
"I want to go up there," David said. "Please."  
  
"She'll come down here whenever she begs ready," Annie said. "She know the rules of the household and she's going to stay there, and you here."  
  
"What if David in Spine's body starts freaking out? He dies't know the controls," Hatchworth said abruptly.  
  
"We don't even know the controls," Rabbit said in reply, looking over to Bunny who was still playing with her chest. "And I don't think they do either, really..."  
  
"Spine, what happens?" Sam asked. "What happens if David freaks out in your body?"  
  
"Um..." Now he had to think. "Um, he'll break a few plates, maybe slip a board of circuitry, and if worse comes to worse, destroy my dark core and end up putting me away in the underworld for the rest of eternity where... oh no please no..."  
  
"What is it?" Bunny asked. Now she was concerned.  
  
"I'll have to be a full-time reaper and Hatchet will have no instant tie to the manor, meaning the house will go unprotected. Michael, Matt, and Janelle will be forced under and so will Peter."  
  
"My baby?!" Annie cried. Spine looked up to her an nodded.  
  
"My systems detail of how my overwritten computing systems can overwrite my reaper slash dead-ness programming and I can be forced into communal stasis, as seen now, but at any given moment that can override and I will eventually wake up without any control. Meaning, I will go on a rampage and someone will be hurt, and no one can come back."  
  
"Miss Bunny," Annie said, directing her attention to the copper bot, "Call Hatchet. Get her down here now. Get some muscle, too, maybe Miss Lynn and her son, Beeper. He's pretty strong, right?"  
  
"From the blueprints I've seen, yes. A sailor boy," Rabbit said. Annie nodded and Rabbit pulled out her phone.  
  
Annie knelt down beside Spine and put a hand to his shoulder. "We can find a way to put you all back in order, alright? I promise."  
  
"And I know."  
  
=  
  
"Now," T0mmy thought, defeating the ways of Gravity by propping himself up balanced against the wall, "How to rid of the wench..."  
  
The slight thought of his sister made his gut wrench and the anger inside build. Her family made him even more angrier. She had people who loved her. A son, a husband. Where was his wife and daughter? Hmm? Why did she get all of the good stuff?  
  
All he had was an orb who talked a little too much and a boss who smelled of guano and pain. She was Grimm's pet bitc#. She was a slave to him and T0mmy was pretty sure she was doing the dirty to stay above this place. And by doing the dirty, he means not to just The Spine.  
  
No wonder she got a full scholarship to Death Academy for that little copy. Admin Jon... A copy cat root twat who now, to T0mmy's hopes, was dead. Discontinued, pulled of the shelves and tossed into a furnace. To no surprise, walking about in the body was quite smooth.  
  
He could probably get that twig of a ginger Peter Walter the 6th to make him a bit smoother... But how...Exactly! Face shields! Hatchet always put one up to look human... Her sad need to be human. Must've fangirled over The Spine too hard and picked up a thing or two. That man sure was an idiot to think he could actually become human.  
  
That didn't stop Grimm from making those three young teenagers from killing themselves and getting to be human again, did it?All they do is sing and cry and talk and do each other... They're disgusting! Especially that girl with the curls. She's fine... T0mmy thought about hitting that a couple times... Michael. He could face as Michael.  
  
Get in her pants, get smoother robotics, kill Hatchet, maybe The Spine while he was at it... If only he could move...  
  
"Sokka," T0mmy mumbled, "Get Gravity's spell off of me.."  
  
"Yessir," a purple floating orb, similar to The Spine's own servant, Cobble, said, flying over to him. It hovered about and then stayed still, pulsating blues and reds like a police siren. "Sir, I cannot seem to relieve the spell."  
  
"Relieve it or I will crush you," he threatened. The orb, now called Sokka, sank down to T0mmy's level and floated about his head, then backed away to it's previous spot.  
  
"She will not-"  
  
"Don't ask her you numskull! Just do it!"  
  
T0mmy felt the weight lift from him and knew he made another God angry. Perfect. It was actually kinda fun. He sat upright and wiggled his fingers, then looked to the table. He could so pull this off...  
  
=  
  
Michael Reed, blue glowing tubes running in and out of his skin and a ore glowing underneath his shirt. That wonderful young lady underneath his arm, cuddled up against him with a soft snore was making him smile. he sleepily watched the game Ian and Ray were battling in as he felt his throat close and his lungs stop working.  
  
He wanted to scream, but felt his eye lids go heavy and then fall over his glowing blue eyes. He tried to clutch at Janelle, but felt as if he was in a room without any end. When he was finally able to open his eyes once more, He looked around an empty cell. Suddenly Peter appeared, his head in his hands and blood trickling down his hands from his knuckles.  
  
"Peter?" he asked. Peter looked up and sighed, nodding. "What am I doing here?"  
  
"I don't know and I don't know where i am either. First thing I was in the vaults trying to contain a rampaging Spine and the next thing I know I'm beating the crap out of the wall with my bare fists."  
  
"I was sleeping on the couch with Janelle... Did you say a rampaging Spine?"  
  
"Nothing to worry about."  
  
"Um, plenty to worry about, Pete. Janelle and Matt are there, and so are the kid robots and even Hatchet!"  
  
"Since when do you care about her?"  
  
"When she made us human again. Well," Michael drifted off, looking to his tubing. Peter let out a long sigh, one that made Michael look up to him. "What was that for?"  
  
"You, okay? You and Matt worry me. Even though I have a son and a daughter and a soon-to-be-wife, you worry me the most."  
  
"How?"  
  
"You, Mr. Calm and Collected, get so shaky and worried about everything else. You do things that I don't think anyone else would just because you love them."  
  
"You're talking about Janelle, aren't you? I love her, okay?"  
  
"You're infatuated with her, Mike. Calm yourself. She was a child when she was made and You sipped your hand into hers and I saw the hearts float above your head. You're a little sick."  
  
"I was making her happy. Back then it wasn't anything I wanted i a girl. I was actually seeing someone at the time, but that ended quickly. And then I realized that The Wheel needed me and I stuck with her, and..."  
  
"Like a chic-flick you fell in love on pure luck?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess. When the other one left me, I needed her. It was a sort of-"  
  
"Sick relationship that you need to end."  
  
Michael stared at Peter. "No."  
  
"Yes," peter said with a matter-of-fact tone. "End it whenever we get back or whatever."  
  
"No, Peter, I'm not going to. She cried over my grave. I did just the same, you know. We all did. I'm not leaving her. I'm not going to loose her again." Peter shook his head and leaned back against the wall. "Saying that I can't be with Janelle is like saying you can't marry Vivian."  
  
"Don't say that!"  
  
"Then let me be with Janelle!"  
  
Peter kept quiet. He paced about and glanced to Mike every once in a while, but said nothing.  
  
=  
  
T0mmy played with his new fingers for a second, running them through Janelle's hair and grinning to himself.  
  
"Mike, dude, children in the room. And adults," Ro said. T0mmy looked up to the little busty baker as she sat down on the floor behind Ian and watched the game.  
  
"I'll just go to our room, then," he said. Good thing Michael didn't have any accent T0mmy couldn't handle.  
  
"No one is leaving," Hatchet snarled down at him. Her eyes went wide and she stood in her spot, a bit too scared to even deal with the brother now inhabiting the cyborg.  
  
"I'm leaving with Janelle, alright? This couch isn't that comfy."  
  
"I'll walk them up," Jimmy said. Ro put a concerning hand to his arm and he stood anyhow, waving for Michael and Janelle. T0mmy shook his new girl awake and she sat up, running her hand over his chest and making him smile. Round 2 initiated.  
  



	159. T0mmy's plot ensues, Shouting at Grimm, T0mmy makes a huge mistake, Hatchet returns to the vault to find a mess - Whistler

Jimmy led them toward the bedrooms. "I guess Leo and Carolina must be here already," he said conversationally. "I haven't seen either of them all night..."  
  
I doubt it, thought T0mmy. Still, where had Hatchet put Carolina? Well, he would see to her later. He had one lined up already and he meant to take his time...  
  
But maybe Carolina was up here... Hatchet surely hadn't left her in AJ's room on his useless bed... And if anyone heard the screams he intended to harvest, they'd go for help. That would likely bring his sister down on his butt again. And if she wouldn't hesitate to blast her own son in the head, she certainly would have no qualms about anyone else...  
  
Once Jimmy left, he whispered, "Let's slip off and find somewhere more interesting..."  
  
"I dunno. Aren't you tired?"  
  
"Tired?" he hissed irritably.  
  
"Yeah, see, you're grumpy..."  
  
He forced a smile. "A little. You could help with that."  
  
She kissed him softly. "I think so too. We're already here, but if you really want, we could go to the vaults..."  
  
"No," he said quickly. "The others are there..."  
  
"Oh, is that where they are? Okay... well, let's look around a little. I know there's some cells in a side wing for robot timeouts. Upgrade told me. Maybe..."  
  
"Perfect," he said with a smile.  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchet made sure everything was secure in the game room. Emmeline was back at games with her twin. and she had shared an interesting little detail about him on their way back...  
  
Boyle was a girl. Well, originally, or so Carol thought. But somehow it hadn't really taken... It wasn't like Rabbit, who turned out to have been originally programmed and designed to be female, all those years ago. Her tomboyish nature had hidden the original design for decades...  
  
Boyle, now... He was another story. Carol had made two small automatons, similar but not identical, named Click and Boyle, so that Bloch would have siblings. She'd just automatically considered them girls because of their dainty builds... until Boyle had thrown a colossal fit and insisted he wasn't a girl. In her shock, Carol had asked Click if she had any secrets, and got the response that she wanted to be called Emmeline.  
  
Hatchet smiled down at them. She hoped AJ was comfortable in the parts he was given... he was such a handsome boy...  
  
Her smile faded. AJ...  
  
Everyone was settled. It was time to tend to business. She vanished.  
  
"Grimm!" she roared when she arrived in his office.  
  
"Good evening to you, too, or is it morning there now?" Grimm said, playing idly with a letter opener that could kill a minotaur. "You've kept busy."  
  
"If I could... so help me... We had a bargain! Why are you allowing all this to happen?"  
  
"Man has free will, Chet. Yes, I may interfere, but it's just that I have been doing a terrible lot of it lately."  
  
"Nevertheless, now would be a good time! Have you seen what's been going on?"  
  
"I have. Some of it has been troubling indeed. Other parts..." He snorted.  
  
"You... are you laughing? You're enjoying this!"  
  
"Some of it..."  
  
"But... Le- Ardo! Your aide! He has a head injury that even I could not repair! He has banished Peter VI! And my son is..."  
  
Her words choked off at last. She couldn't say it...  
  
"Chet, you did nothing to him."  
  
"I did though," she said thickly. "My poor baby..."  
  
"Now, don't go soft. I don't want to lose another one of my most precious assets."  
  
"Your precious assets!" she bit. "My child may be injured beyond repair! And I can't even... I can't cry... because they need me, and my husband... I don't even have the comfort of... oh, why tell you? You know all of it already, and don't care one bit!"  
  
"The same bad press all gods get," he sighed. "I want all my reapers well and healthy. I am keeping an eye on things, truly. Your husband, for example, is... alive and well."  
  
"Why did you hesitate?" she asked, but he had jumped up and was holding out a live coal. She stared at it in wonder.  
  
"What is that supposed to do?"  
  
"It may not look like much, but it's how I do things. Touch this to Ardo's temple and his wits will be restored. He received some bruising but it is well within my authority to repair it."  
  
She took the coal. "Will it burn him?"  
  
"A little. One more scar for the collection. And he will thank you for it."  
  
She sighed. It was a beginning. "But... how can he even receive such an injury if he's one of us?"  
  
"Chet... certain parts of his contract have resulted in his remaining, after a fashion, mortal. He can be injured, age, feel, eat, produce offspring..."  
  
"Can he really?" she gasped as though this was a specially juicy bit of gossip.  
  
"Yes. And yet he's not being a bit careful with it. That could get interesting."  
  
"Lovely. It'll be Rosemary's Baby all over again."  
  
"I believe you've already filled the role of Damian."  
  
She glared at him. "Not now, Grimm. I cannot threaten you, but... just not now."  
  
"He'll be alright, Chet," he said abruptly. "Your son. He'll be fine."  
  
She stared at him in surprise. He wasn't the sort to reassure people... and yet his words brought a wash of sticky relief that almost reduced her to tears.  
  
He beamed at her and she cringed slightly. She didn't want to know what was behind the smile. She curtseyed and whooshed herself straight to the vault.  
  
\----------  
  
T0mmy and Janelle reached the the cells quickly. There was no one in the halls to ask difficult questions that might slow them down.  
  
They entered the first cell. He shut the door and grabbed her roughly, pushing her against the wall. She squeaked in shock.  
  
"Alone at last," he said huskily.  
  
She pushed at him and he tightened his grip. "I... I don't like this... I can feel now, Mike... Mike! You're hurting me..."  
  
"Good..." he hissed, kissing her roughly and tugging her tank top so hard that it ripped.  
  
Seconds later, he was doubled up on the floor, gasping in pain.  
  
"No one does that to me!" she screamed. "No one is just going to treat me any way they want! Never again!"  
  
"You little piece of trash!" he groaned. Her knee had hit him dead center and that had been that. How was this possible? He should be able to detach himself from the pain... so much pain! How did human men walk around with their essentials hanging on the outside?  
  
He grabbed for her ankle and she backed away... moving deeper into the cells. "What's the matter with you?" she cried, in tears. "What's the matter with everyone?"  
  
He struggled to his feet, swallowing bile, his anger driving him to push past the pain. It was severe enough that this mostly human body felt sick... and he was furious. He lunged for her as she turned to run. She saw him out of the corner of her eye. With a sharp squeak of panic she jerked to the side, grabbing the door frame for support, and he missed, staggering forward into the next cell. He hit the floor hard and gasped as his hip and elbow struck the tile.  
  
"Why am I feeling his pain?" he screamed, enraged.  
  
"His pain?" Janelle cried.  
  
There was a hum and a beep. Before he could look up, he felt a searing blast of pain strike him in the shoulder. He and Janelle screamed at the same time. He turned his head to see a familiar collection of pots and bric a brac. That monstrosity again? The little robot trollop had built this...  
  
"The... the planter thing..." Jan gasped unnecessarily from somewhere behind him. Why wasn't the little fool running? Now was her chance!  
  
A tiny red light flitted across the stolen body and centered on his forehead. T0mmy stared back, stunned and sick from the pain. He should leave now, let Michael Reed take a laser blast to the brain, but he couldn't seem to act...  
  
Strong, slim hands grabbed his ankles and dragged him across the smooth tile just as a laser blast hit the floor where his head had been. Jan hauled him clumsily all the way into the first cell and dropped his legs, backing away once more.  
  
He groaned. The human's privates throbbed, but not in the way he had been anticipating! To make matters worse, his elbow didn't seem to be bending properly, and his shoulder... he wasn't sure about that...  
  
"You're bleeding out," she said shakily, staring down at him.  
  
"Am I?" he asked weakly.  
  
"I... I don't know what the crap you thought you were doing... and calling me trash... that was almost worse than the other crap... _he_ used to call me trash..."  
  
"Just go," he groaned, irritated with her babbling. "Leave me to bleed to death. You want to, surely..."  
  
"Why would I want that?" she asked sincerely.  
  
She stepped slowly closer, at last crouching uneasily beside him. "You need medical care, stupid."  
  
"Ugh..." he scoffed.  
  
He was starting to think clearly again. It was over. Another failure.  
  
"Mike..." she said. "Hey! Are you malfunctioning? Or... well, weird things happen here, don't they? You said something earlier and... maybe... maybe you aren't Mike at all?"  
  
"Stop blubbering about things you don't understand. Get out."  
  
She began to examine his shoulder.  
  
"Didn't you hear me?" he asked weakly. How much was this man bleeding? He felt dizzy. That was new. He didn't like it.  
  
"Shut up and let me put pressure on this."  
  
He lay there, staring up at her. He'd just made a very good start on a rape and here she was, trying to help him. Was it her pathetic need to not lose Michael Reed, even if he had turned out to be a scumbag?  
  
He wasn't going to wait around to find out what it felt like to bleed to death, but he had to know before he left. "Why... why are you helping me? I hurt you..."  
  
"Number one," she said, sniffling, as she slipped off her tank top and folded it to press against his shoulder, "I wouldn't let my worst enemy bleed to death. I wouldn't let my own father bleed to death."  
  
What an extraordinary statement! Her father was lower in her esteem than her worst enemy! He could certainly relate to that sentiment...  
  
"Second, you're not my worst enemy, you're Michael Reed." She pressed the fabric to his shoulder and he hissed with pain. "Well... even if you're not, and I think you aren't because you don't sound like him now and your expressions are all wrong... this is his body. It's only partially robotic and if the human part dies, it's back to being all robotic and that's just cruel... to both of us. It's only been a day. So if I'm right and more crazy stuff is going on and you're some kind of demon who stole Mike's body, I don't want him to die because of you."  
  
"And if I am?" he asked quietly. "If I am some monster who stole his body?"  
  
"Then I want you to get out!"  
  
Oh.  
  
"But... I understand. Something terrible must have happened to make you want to hurt people... sometimes I want to. I feel so angry... and I can't get at the one who deserves it... the ones who deserve it."  
  
He looked away. He was feeling more than the physical pain... now he felt... moved? It sickened him far more than the knee to the groin had.  
  
"Well?" she said. "Are you Michael Reed?"  
  
He blinked rapidly. "No," he said, surprising himself.  
  
"I won't ask who you are. But this is his second chance. Let him go and don't come back."  
  
He looked at her again. The overhead lamp shone behind her head, lighting her mussed hair with a glow like a halo. He was dazzled.  
  
"Mike?" she said hesitantly.  
  
"Do... do I look like him?" he asked softly. "My expression isn't all wrong?"  
  
"Well... yeah... just like him..." she said, frowning. "You're still not him? I mean, you haven't left yet..."  
  
"No... but I just... want to do something first..."  
  
He reached up with one hand. She flinched away, shifting the pressure on his shoulder. He hissed in pain.  
  
"Sorry!" she gasped, resuming the pressure.  
  
He raised his hand again. "I won't hurt you..."  
  
She looked afraid but held herself steady as he gently touched her hair.  
  
"What... are you..." she began, her cheek twitching as his wrist brushed it.  
  
"I'd heard of angels... but I never..."  
  
His eyes widened and he pulled the hand away sharply. Looking at the wall once more, he said tightly, "Fine, have your Michael Reed back! Much good may you do one another! What a lovely couple... The pedophilic hippie and the broken doll..."  
  
"What?" she cried angrily.  
  
He rose from the body and Michael Reed lost consciousness. He heard her cry out in fear as the man's arm fell limp and his head slipped sideways. T0mmy hovered a moment, watching her press her head to his chest, listening, sobbing with relief when she heard a heartbeat inside that inexplicable cyborg chest. She put her knee on the cloth pressed against his shoulder and groped around until she found his phone and called for help.  
  
He wasn't sure why he lingered. What did he care about the little baggage? He had just decided it was more pain than it was worth! It wasn't as if he was leaving to be kind!  
  
Still, she was... remarkable, wasn't she? He watched her a moment longer and felt the rage rising once more.  
  
To He!! with her. To He!! with all of them. It was over. Walter Manor was a nightmare turned solid; just what Hatchet deserved. And if his guess was correct, there was a reason Grimm had made his visit so brief.  
  
He'd leered down at T0mmy, who had clamped his eyes shut and braced himself for pain... but it didn't come. Grimm simply touched him on the forehead, laughed, and vanished. And now his handiwork was clear... such a simple solution. He didn't want to destroy Reapers... he was too practical for that. So he chose instead to bind T0mmy to these people, even as his sister was bound to them, but in just a certain way. He couldn't steal their bodies or he would feel their pain. For all he knew, he would feel their pain anyway... maybe at any distance. He shuddered, even in his astral form. One of them was going to have a baby in a few months... No, this was not happy news.  
  
Though come to think of it, he didn't hurt now. Either way, he was done. He felt strangely weary. He had to go back to his own body. But first...  
  
He waved a hand and Michael Reed blinked and groaned. "Peter, I... Oh! Jan? Ugh... what happened to me? Was I in another accident?"  
  
She cried and kissed him. T0mmy sneered and left as quickly as he could.  
  
Back in his cell, he told his familiar, "Walter Manor no longer is our target, Sokka. I have taught them enough. How about we head for Washington DC? I feel like creating a few political scandals..."  
  
\----------  
  
Hatchet appeared in the vault. One second later, she heard a sob, "Hatchet!"  
  
She turned eagerly and stopped short. "Matter Master David?" she asked, puzzled. "Why is my husband still shut down? And... why is Mr. Negrete laying on him?"  
  
Steve was clinging to the table. Carol and Lil Steve appeared to be trying to coax him to let go.  
  
There were tears starting in David's eyes as he struggled to his feet. Hatchworth helped him stand and held him steady. Rabbit stepped over and took his other arm unnecessarily.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked slowly, as he shook them off and walked shakily toward her, like a child learning his first steps. He grew steadier as he neared her.  
  
"Hatchet... I'm sorry, but Leo's done something... this is your husband," Vivian told her gently.  
  
"He's what?" she shrieked. He lunged at her and put his arms around her. A second later he cried out, lost his balance, and fell on the floor. There was a smoking hole in his shirt. He groaned and tried to pull the shirt open but couldn't seem to manage the buttons.  
  
She looked down at the live coal in her fingers. "Oops... but... surely..."  
  
"They've switched bodies!" Annie cried angrily. "My son is still missing and these characters are in each others' bodies!"  
  
"That isn't possible! If my husband took a mortal body, he..."  
  
She clamped her lips shut. She didn't want to cause the very thing she feared...  
  
"Spine told us what could happen if David wakes up in his body," Hatchworth... presumably Sam... told her as he helped her husband stand in David's frail human body.  
  
"Well, yes... It's important that they both remain calm..."  
  
"Both?"  
  
"Yes," she said earnestly. "It's best for both to be calm."  
  
She set the coal in a safe spot on the table and gently pulled her husband up and into her arms, careful not to squeeze too tightly. He clung to her, shaking as humans did when they were distressed. It almost felt like him; something about the way he held her was familiar. If she closed her eyes and tried to ignore the squashy parts...  
  
"What's with the live coal, anyway?" asked Annie harshly. She clearly was at her limit.  
  
"A treatment for Leo," she replied. "We can't set all this right until he's himself again."  
  
"Don't be in such a hurry!" Rabbit called. "I'm havin' fun bein' all soft!"  
  
"T-t-too much fun," said Bunny, peering down at her own body. "Ugh! The stutter is part of the body?"  
  
"Nevertheless, it needs to be done," Hatchet said to Rabbit. She kissed David's brow, unable to bring herself to kiss his lips. Her husband was in there, but it wasn't his body...  
  
She stopped, looking at him. His body... where the memories were stored.  
  
"What is it?" he asked, wiping his eyes.  
  
"Do you... remember anything troubling?"  
  
"A lot of things. Which one are you asking about?"  
  
She looked searchingly at him. He didn't! He had been torn from his body before the memory restore had taken place!  
  
"My love..." she whispered, stroking David's foolish cheek uncomfortably. He was so weird looking in this meaty form, but she had to send him back to that? Was that what amused Grimm so much?  
  
But as she looked around the room, there were many possible culprits. Rabbit, jiggling different parts of Bunny's body in turn, Hatchworth poking himself in the belly and counting his toes, Sam examining his hatch and attempting to produce a sandwich (he kept getting tofu loaf), Bunny glaring straight ahead, not looking at anyone, and of course the struggles of the Negretes... It was hard to choose what would be funniest to the likes of Grimm.  
  
"Hatchet!" cried Leo, delighted, from behind her.  
  
She looked at him over her shoulder. "Yes, I've been here for ten minutes..."  
  
"You're here!"  
  
"I know..."  
  
"Did I ever tell you why Vivian came here?"  
  
"Yes, actually..."  
  
"Because..."  
  
Vivian waved a hand nonchalantly and Leo went cross-eyed and slipped onto his blanket, still clutching a plush platypus someone had given him.  
  
Hatchet stared at her. "You did that..."  
  
"Did what?" asked Peter V, who had been staring at the whole business blankly.  
  
"She... she's... Miss Vivian, what are you?" Hatchet cried, partially distracted by the disconcerting way her husband was now touching her cheek in wonder and sniffing her hair as though amazed at the scent. She saw him shudder and frowned.  
  
"I have some magic of my own, Mr. Walter," Vivian was saying.  
  
"Well. Well, then." Five, too, seemed to have hit capacity.  
  
Hatchet looked at the coal. Vivian could surely wake Leo and then she, Hatchet, could mend his mind... but if he swapped them back, The Spine would remember what had happened...  
  
She knew he would need to in time. And she couldn't see living out the rest of their marriage with a mortal human husband! Besides the obvious problems of his being able to die and robbing David of his body, a human just couldn't take the kind of damage she could dish out in the bedroom...  
  
But she at least wanted time to prepare him. That was a gift she hadn't expected to receive. She could tell him what was coming before it came. Maybe it would help...  
  
But the rest of them! Most of them appeared distressed... Hatchet floundered, uncertain how to proceed.  
  
A phone rang. Rabbit giggled.  
  
"That tickles!" she crowed.  
  
Bunny roused from her sulk with a creaking of metal joints and none too gently yanked down her body's bodice to pluck out her own cell phone.  
  
"Ow!" cried Rabbit, clutching at her human bust. "Yehr gonna feel that later!"  
  
"And I'll be thankful. Hello?"  
  
Everyone waited uneasily.  
  
"What? What were they doing up there? Okay... I'll send someone. Hey, Sam, can you call some workers to get Mike and Jan from the cells? He's hurt, she just called Carolina for help."  
  
"Got it." He fished in his regular pockets while Hatchworth looked down in bemusement, then stumped out of the vault to make the call.  
  
"Are you alright, Carolina?" Bunny asked.  
  
Hatchet froze. Was she?  
  
"You just sound tired. Oh, you were asleep... Me? I... I'm in the bathroom. Yeah, that's it, I sound this way because of the bathtub, y'know, echoes... Alright, I'm lying but it's complicated. Right. Oh, Leo... um..."  
  
Hatchet looked down at Leo. She made up her mind.  
  
"Tell her he has a concussion and she needs to take care of him..."  
  
Bunny pressed the phone against her chest with a clank, sighed, and muffled it instead against the softness of her actual body while Rabbit giggled and swatted ineffectually at her arm.  
  
"She's tired, Hatchet..."  
  
"Trust me. She... was attacked tonight..."  
  
"She what?" cried almost everyone at once.  
  
"It's hard to explain. She wasn't severely hurt physically, but she had a shock. She needs a distraction. Let her tend her lover..."  
  
"But who would do such a thing?" gasped Five.  
  
"My twin brother," Hatchet said darkly. "He... disguised himself as someone she knew. He's gone now."  
  
The Spine looked at her as Bunny continued her call. "Hatchet..." he said quietly. "Where's AJ?"  
  
She tried to keep her cool but it was all coming down at once. She sobbed and clamped her lips shut. He pulled her close... or at least pulled himself closer to her... and she closed her eyes. She couldn't look at him like this...  
  
"It was him, wasn't it?" he whispered. At least he sounded almost the same...  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Is he alright?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Something happened."  
  
"Yes... oh, love... T0mmy had control of him! He had Carolina, he was going to... I couldn't let it happen to either of them. Then he'd be just like..."  
  
She stopped. Just like me... But she wasn't ready to tell him yet. A little while more... She bit her lip and wept.  
  
"Hatchet," he said quietly. "What did you have to do to him?"  
  
"I can't..."  
  
"You'd never let your brother take control of our son. Would you?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Even... even if you had to kill him to prevent it..."  
  
"Spine... stop it..." she sobbed quietly.  
  
"Was that what it took?"  
  
"No! But... he's hurt, love! He's hurt so badly..."  
  
There was silence. She opened her eyes and realized Bunny's call had ended and everyone was hearing their conversation. The Spine looked around at them and sighed. He turned back to her, leaning forward as if to kiss her. She couldn't help it. She flinched. There was a moment of hurt realization in his eyes. He nodded grimly and looked down, but not before she saw the sparkle of human tears starting once more.  
  
"You're a good mother, Hatchet," he murmured, his voice very low. "You saved him. Don't forget it."  
  
"Spine, love..."  
  
He was different... though the way he was acting... he was just like he used to be, before he became a Reaper. But how long would it be before his Reaper nature asserted itself? The Spine had warned them about the hazards of waking David, so they had said... but the office was bound to his spirit...  
  
She looked searchingly at his face. It wasn't comfortable... it felt wrong. The features were similar but this was not the shining chrome face of her love. But she had to make sure...  
  
"And if your brother tries it again, if it's in my power, I'll see to it that he's the one who ends up hurt," he added darkly.  
  
For a second, just the barest second, his eyes were black. He didn't appear to notice. The hazel returned as he looked at her and smiled a little sheepishly.  
  
It hadn't happened. He was still just borrowing it... But if he stayed this way too long, she was afraid David wouldn't have a living body to return to...  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cool thing is, there are a few gifs out there of exactly what Hatchet just saw... David with his eyes suddenly going black. Let me see if I can find a link...
> 
> https://31.media.tumblr.com/fea043b251a50fd6ebf5e1445cb1b6a5/tumblr_mxypy7ML4u1qg2os3o1_250.gif


	160. Getting everyone settled, Vivian takes action, Peter goes through Hell - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another double installment from me.

Five had given up. Not on everything, just on trying to keep things from the rest of the household.  
  
They sent for more Walter Workers to help with Rabbit and Hatchworth. They didn't know how to maintain their bodies; not first hand, anyway. Carissa volunteered to help Rabbit, and Ian took Hatchworth. Matt, having at least been human, offered to help Hatchet with The Spine.  
  
Leo was taken back to his room where Carolina, looking somehow paler than usual, quickly put him to bed and curled up beside him as the dawn approached, ready to nod and repeat the same responses until his head cleared. She was under strict orders to report the second she could get a sensible conversation started.  
  
Lil Steve was obliged to remain in the vaults with Carol. He had no control over Steve's dragon qualities and they only hoped he was at least set in his current form or it would get ugly very quickly... For added support, Bloch came down to join them.  
  
Steve, on the other hand, being in a highly flammable state, was sent upstairs for the exact same reason, with Emmeline who was unable to suppress her amusement and delight at how utterly adorable he was. She had been reasonably fond of Lil Steve, but Steve himself in the yarn body sent her into fits of giggling. Her first question had been whether he could turn into a little yarn dragon... the next one was whether he could ride GG, who had followed her down, like a horse. When they went back up, he was doing exactly that.  
  
David, still unconscious in The Spine's body, remained on his slab like the Sleeping Beauty. Hatchet cast a longing look back at her husband's true body as she walked out with the humanized robots. Five sighed. He couldn't let him wake up until Peter could return to deactivate the memory restore. It would be unconscionable to subject David to the memories of being brutally assaulted. He was having his doubts about whether The Spine should have to remember it either. Surely they could just delete it...  
  
Sam and Bunny, at last, walked awkwardly upstairs with Five and Annie, where they helped the two new automatons to get into the stasis chambers.  
  
"What happens if I'm stuck this way?" Sam asked him mournfully as he clamped him into position.  
  
"You become the only robot to have fathered a child."  
  
"This isn't the time, Five. She's gonna have that kid any day, and here I am... I can't even hold her hand while she's in labor! What the He!! kind of father will I be?"  
  
"I'd heard you weren't sure of that anyway." He sighed and shook his head at the look on Hatchworth's face... He'd never seen that face look so serious. "But we'll fix it. Leo did all this and he'll undo it..."  
  
"I... I guess... I'm just starting to freak out, okay? The initial shock is wearing off and... yeah... Look, just switch that thing on already."  
  
Sam didn't know how to trigger stasis himself. Five sighed and punched a button and Hatchworth's head tipped forward slightly as his eyes went dim. The robotic body hummed softly in its chamber, and Five only hoped that Sam had gone unconscious with it.  
  
He joined Annie in the hall. She was staring at an oily tissue in her hand.  
  
"She was crying," Annie sighed. "I've never seen Bunny cry. But so much has happened... Transformations, traumas, and Leo... launching our son to who knows where..." Her voice shook. "Oh, Peter!"  
  
Five pulled her into his arms and held her close as she succumbed to tears of her own. They'd both borne up until now, but now... Now there was time to think about it.  
  
Where was Peter?  
  
\----------  
  
Vivian had been all but forgotten in the bustle as people went their various ways. She helped them take Leo to his room, even though his physical injuries had been mended. She would have gone on to see if anyone else needed her assistance, but now was the time to do for herself. Or more to the point, to do for the man she loved.  
  
She started toward the Walter Worker wing, but changed direction almost immediately. She found her way through the maze of halls to Peter's room and stood in the doorway. It was filled with his scent, even though he seldom slept in it. He had been lately, and that was enough.  
  
She walked in and lay down on his bed, pressing her cheek into his pillow. She wouldn't cry yet. She'd done enough of that today, and she hadn't given him up. She couldn't find him herself... but there were those who could.  
  
It was a little harder to sleep this time, worried as she was, but at last she drifted off and pushed through the haze of mist that seemed to surround her. She was exhausted, and lucid dreaming was difficult.  
  
"River!" she cried. "Please! I need help!"  
  
It seemed as though she'd gone on shouting for hours when at last she looked up and saw him, drifting from shape to shape, each one smiling.  
  
"How are things in the arms of your love, cher?" he murmured. "I understand he's learned that you are his and he is yours..."  
  
It was this that finally shattered her resolve. She put her hands over her face and sobbed. River, seeing her distress, touched her shoulder and whispered, "What's happened, child?"  
  
"He's gone!" she choked, pulling her hands down to speak. "Sent away by mistake, no one knows where! Oh... I can't bear it!"  
  
"Now, now, calm... you're no mere girl to give way like this!" He wiped her tears with something resembling a puff of cloud. "He'll be found, I promise. I am but a lesser god, and even my father has his limits. But I think we can locate him."  
  
"You can bring him back?" she gasped.  
  
"Ah... not necessarily. Who sent him away?"  
  
"Leo..."  
  
"Just so. There's a good chance that he is in the Land of the Dead."  
  
She put her hands to her mouth. "No! But... he's dead, then..."  
  
"No, not dead. But he can't survive on what they have there. We must hurry. Father will find him and ask his brother to release him."  
  
"But... surely Hatchet already asked him..."  
  
River stopped transforming briefly in his shock. "Hatchet? But then... Old Grimm doesn't know Peter is there? How can this be?"  
  
"What if he isn't? What if he isn't anywhere?" she wailed.  
  
She felt arms slip around her and turned to see Nod. He held her against his chest, softly shushing her, stroking her hair. She felt instantly relaxed. That was his power, after all...  
  
"Now, little one..." he murmured into her hair. "Crying in your sleep? I could hear you all the way in Hawaii."  
  
Of course he had. He'd probably been on pins and needles wondering why so many people in Walter Manor were awake all night... She cried gently against him as River explained the situation for her. Nod sighed.  
  
"Baby, if I could have you fall in love with someone else, I would," he sighed. "You picked the craziest place to live out your destiny. But Papa Nod will do his best. I'll find that idiot boy if ever I can. But when I do, someone else will have to lead him out."  
  
"Why?" she asked. She wanted to scream it, but he had her numbed, soothed too much to shout. Her limbs felt heavy...  
  
"My power is limited. I am not omnipotent. I can do a lot, I can protect you... but if he is in the domain of another god, a place where there is no sleep... is there no one who can seek him out and guide him back for you? Someone deathless and sleepless?"  
  
Oh... through the cobwebs in her mind, the answer drifted. "Little Spirit..." she murmured.  
  
"Good girl." He kissed her forehead. "Sleep now. Real sleep. You're so tired... I can feel it."  
  
He yawned and stroked his fingers over her eyes and she yawned in response, and faded into soft darkness. When she woke, well... she wasn't awake! She knew she had been sleeping deeply, but now she was not... she was on the path to her house, back in her world. She ran for it the second she realized, calling for the little familiar.  
  
He hovered before her as she neared her little cottage. "Why you yellin' so loud, gu'l?"  
  
"Lil Spirit! I need yo' help!"  
  
She expected mockery and resistance, even bargaining, but to her surprise, he replied, "My hep? The world done turned sideways! The day you need my hep!"  
  
"This is that day! Please... My love is gone and only you can bring him back."  
  
"Well, I'd be tickled... Wait, weh is he?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Got it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I got it. Ol Nod done tole me. Man alive, that ain't gonna be easy! Even Grimm don't hold no sway there... Yeah, I can get in, your Lordship."  
  
"What?" Vivian cried.  
  
"Thy will be done, your worship!"  
  
She looked around but saw nothing. "How could..."  
  
But when she turned around, Little Spirit was already gone.  
  
\----------  
  
Peter leaned against the rocky wall of the cave, fighting tears. His hands were bleeding. He was hungry. Really, gnawingly hungry. He hadn't eaten since dinner, and he had no idea how long it had been since then... and he was alone. Michael had been in the middle of singing some mindless little tune about pretending and had vanished with a soft, "Eep!" And as irritated as he had been with Michael's resistance of his parental authority over Janelle, he didn't want to be alone.  
  
Michael... he didn't oppose him personally. If he'd just give her a few years, let her "grow up" a little, Peter would give them his blessing. Leo had been mature beyond his years. Jan had been young even for her age... too wise about some things, in others, frozen in time from trauma suffered. Either way, time and therapy was needed, for both of them.  
  
He sank to the floor, staring at his bloodied fingers. Stupid. Trying to claw his way through solid rock was idiotic. And worrying about Jan and Michael was useless. Someone else would have to look after them now. He didn't know how long he'd been there, but he doubted Michael had any chance of sending help. He was a dead cookie.  
  
"You look like He!!, boy!"  
  
He jumped and cried out. Before him hovered a wisp of light. He blinked.  
  
"You... Little Spirit? Where's Vivian? Is she here?" he cried.  
  
"No, stupid! You in He!!. Grimm got connections but the boss man here don't let no one out. Dat Leo done flung you too far. Too much power..."  
  
Peter had to agree. "But... I can't get out?" he choked.  
  
"Naw. It just ain't gonna be easy. You ever heard of Orpheus? Get used to looking forward."  
  
The wall next to him shimmered and faded away. "A'ight, eyes front. Time to bring you back to the old woman. If I fail, she gonna find me, I ain't got a doubt in my mind. She find me and burn me to ash. You ain't worth it but she do it. So you just mind yo'self and don't do nothin' stupid. Not yet, anyhow. I expect you gonna do plenty once you alive again."  
  
"I am alive..." Peter said, glancing toward Little Spirit.  
  
"Eh eh eh eh EH EH _EH!!!_ Eyes front, fool!"  
  
"Oh! Right..."  
  
He swore he heard a sigh. "We doomed," Little Spirit muttered.  
  
Peter walked forward into a mist of ash and flame. There were screams all around him. He swallowed hard and kept walking. Little Spirit hovered close to his ear.  
  
"Jest keep movin'! Things gonna come try and lead you into them pits of flame. They gonna make you think you deserve it, that you already dead, or that you dying. They gonna burn you but don't you pay them no mind. You ain't burnin' for real. Your heart will burn, your soul, your fears... and you'll think they your own thoughts. Himself done mastered that art."  
  
"But I thought Grimm was..." Peter said stiffly, moving steadily on. His heart was pounding... and Little Spirit was doing nothing to bring him comfort.  
  
"Himself? Naw! Grimm, he plays at bein' a demon, but he's not a bad one. He does a needed job. So do Himself. But Himself enjoys it too much."  
  
He heard a scream close by and nearly turned his head. He took another step forward, panting in terror.  
  
"Keep on goin'..."  
  
"But... that sounded exactly like Janelle..."  
  
"An echo. Maybe they have her real scream here. She done screamed a lot, and passed on, but you pulled her back. Grimm didn't like it, but Himself makes notes. She wouldn't have ended up here anyhow. But her death is on the heads of others, and is stored here... until they come to this place to be they own judges. Ain't no harder judge."  
  
"That much I already know," Peter sighed, stepping onto a land bridge between two large pits. As he reached the center, two screams sounded, one on each side. Both men, both clearly terrified, suffering... dying. And he knew their voices as surely as if he'd seen their faces.  
  
Matt and Mike. The accident... in his car, on his errands... he'd blamed himself, like always. He'd done his best to save them from dying completely, and for what? They still weren't happy... all his fault...  
  
Peter stopped and clamped his eyes shut, sobbing softly. "I'm so sorry..."  
  
"Open yo eyes, fool! Keep moving! It ain't real! If it was, they'd have you... and they don't."  
  
Peter forced his eyes open and took another step... then another. He continued through the pitted, dirty landscape. It was starting to look familiar... like the grounds of Walter Manor... but wrong, desolate, destroyed. There was a burning ruin where the Manor had sat...  
  
"No..." he whispered.  
  
"It's a lie. Keep goin'!"  
  
"Right..."  
  
As he passed through the grounds, he heard sounds that made his blood run cold. A man's scream cut short... Bunny, the day of the Blue Matter explosion. The sound of a fitful wheezing, closing in a choking gurgle... this he knew to be David. He'd felt the pneumonia was his fault... but David had lived! He was still vulnerable to every chest cold that came his way, but he was doing well!  
  
"Keep walkin'..." urged Little Spirit.  
  
One of the worst was a series of prolonged, ragged screams. Leo. Everything he'd suffered that was remotely connected with Peter Walter VI... echoing around his ears, condemning him...  
  
"Ain't real..." came the whisper.  
  
Then The Spine... Peter had seen a little of what had happened, but now he heard him, begging to be released, begging them not to hurt Hatchet... still shaken by thinking Peter and Leo had killed Hatchet, too afraid to risk her life again, he had submitted to his attacker...  
  
"That's right, nearly there..."  
  
Sobbing came next... Carolina, who had suffered so much. His mother, weeping for her lost son. Vivian... Would he ever be able to forgive himself?  
  
"Please stop..." he wept, but forced himself to move forward. Yes, he'd forgotten her, hurt her... and yet she was the one who had sent this little spirit to bring him back. She loved him. After everything, she still loved him. And he wouldn't fail her again.  
  
"You done it!" crowed the voice beside his ear.  
  
He stepped out the derelict gates of this Walter Manor and everything shifted in a flash. He found himself abruptly in a cool, dew soaked dawn. There was a whisper behind him.  
  
"Here's where I go back. I cain't live in yo world. You do right by that woman, hear? Make her happy, like she done for everyone she ever met..."  
  
The voice faded and Peter sank to his knees in the dewy grass, blinking in the bright sunlight. Vivian... The world around him blurred and he fell forward onto his face, heedless of his singed and battered mask.  
  
As he lay there, half conscious but unable to find the will to move, he heard the patter of feet and what sounded like a jetpack.  
  
"Cor! It's Mr. Walter junior!"  
  
"Oh, it's young Master Walter!" a high, sweet voice responded. "Why is he sleeping on the lawn?"  
  
"Peter?" This was a deep voice, right beside his face. "Oh, man! Emmy go get Five, quick!"  
  
"Steve...?" Peter tried to say, but nothing came out. He finally lost the battle and slipped into unconsciousness.  
  



	161. Peter's back and he's just a little bonkers - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last installment from NinjaPastry.

There he laid, a young creation with long curls and a broken body. No mother would be able to live with the memory of hurting her child so badly. Good thing she was already dead.  
  
Her silver hands shook as she placed them upon the table. She heard voices down the hall and reacted smartly, turning off the light and holding her breath. Many years of doing so had given her an expertise to it and she bled into the shadows as people passed.  
  
She looked to the quiet shell of a son, Hatchet sighed with a shaken breath and turned the lights back on. She saw the damage she had done. She saw the horror T0mmy had brought. She felt her faith in Death weaken, seeing as her own deadly powers had killed her livelihood. It was for the better, really. If there was another way around hurting Admin Jon, she would have taken it, but there wasn't one at the time. There was only damage.  
  
Damage she would have to fix herself was facing her in the humming lights above. She took a few seconds to see what was needed to be done and got to work. As she set her tools out, she pulled her dress off and waved her hand to put on her working outfit: black cargo pants, a red halter top, and golden shoulder plates, as always.  
  
She saw her brothers in him, including her own husband, and wanted to cry. There was a pain seeing her creation, her own child, dead on a metal slab. Her hand ran across the bare chest of the boy and she felt tears drip down her face. The oil dripped down her jaw line and fell onto the back of one of her hands.  
  
"Such a brave boy," she said as she began to work. "Going to school without a fear and standing up to T0mmy as best you possibly could." She tore off what broken metal there was and held her breath, feeling the darkness inside of her swarm to the surface. She threw herself away from the table, letting out a pained scream. It was as if a force from the underworld was stopping her from doing what she had to rid herself of.  
  
"Let me heal him!" She begged. "Let me heal my boy!" She was defeated on all accounts.  
  
"Hatchet?" A small voice asked. She looked to the door to see Beeper shaken by what he had witnessed.  
  
"Child," she said in a hushed voice, silencing her sobs. "You shouldn't be here, Beeper. Go back to your mother."  
  
"Princess needs you. She said Mr. Walter fell from the sky!" he exclaimed. Hatchet sighed and walked out, putting a shield of protection over her son. One last sorrowful look at him and Hatchet was trailing Beeper. He led her to the front room where Peter sat, hunched over on the stairs with soul sand on his mask and blood soaked into his pants.  
  
The man was surrounded by others, but Hatchet only saw him and the healing spirits around him. He looked up at her, trying to understand who was there at first, then grabbed onto Paint's arm to stand. The teen led the man to the reaper and he let go of her arm, standing inches away from Hatchet. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her and let his head rest upon her shoulder.  
  
There were no questions asked once Hatchet held him closer, her already shaking hands settling on his shoulder blades and her eyes closing. Everyone around them stared. It was as if everyone knew what Peter had been through, but in all reality, no one knew. Not even Hatchet knew. She just needed the hug as badly as he did.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered in her ear, backing away. They let go of each other and he ran his hands down her arms, grabbing her hands. No one said anything. Paint and Beeper weren’t sure what was happening, but assumed some things they shouldn’t have.  
  
Peter, speechless in awe and sadness, pulled at Hatchet’s hands and took a step back, trying to lead her somewhere; Her mind fluttered to AJ, Spine, and David, not sure where to since all three options were in the same direction. She gave in, forgetting about everyone else, and followed him. He let go of a hand in order to face the direction he was going, and stopped at the labs. He took her into the furthest one. The one that was not one she ever went into.  
  
Her closet was in there, her cell of solitude. She pulled her hand away and leaned against the wall, looking at him. He looked back hesitantly, then walked in without her. Curiosity killed the reaper, sending her forward after him. He sat on a lab table and she stood, glaring at him.  
  
“You better have the greatest bloody reason in the world to-”  
  
“I saw things,” he said with a soft, but bearing tone that gave Hatchet circuitry chills. Well, with what circuitry she had left. “I saw things that I can’t ever un-see, and I heard things that haunt me, and will forever.”  
  
“What happened?” she asked as her motherly instincts kicked in. She sat up upon the opposing table, holding her hands and pulling at her fingers, nervous.  
  
“I went to… He!!. I went where you live,” he stopped for a second to see her huff and cover her face, “and I never thought it was that bad. How dare my great-grandma do that to you.” She sobbed into her hands, jumping off the table and attacking him in a hug. He hugged right back, having to get off the table in order to feel the love, he assumed, she was trying to give to him.  
  
She let go of him and looked to his still open wounds on his hands, cringing. “Let’s get you cleaned up. Maybe you can help me with Admin.”  
  
“Of course,” he agreed. Hatchet felt the weight of the darkness lift off her, giving her the chance to help and heal, just like what she was meant for.  
  
=  
  
Michael woke with a stinging feeling in his shoulder and a pounding head. His arm wrapped around Janelle was soothing at best, but then he realized she was wearing what she was last night and her shirt was missing. He looked to see it was wrapped around his shoulder, blood soaking through. He cautiously sat up, poking at the shirt and wincing. The blue matter tubes snaking around his arms and bulging from his chest were splattered with dried blood.  
  
“What happened?” he asked with a whisper. Janelle’s battery was missing from her back and Michael sighed, running his fingers through her soft curls. He got out of bed, walking to the battery deck and taking off a fully charged battery. Each one weighed ten pounds of heavy-duty Becile technology.  
  
He put the battery over his good shoulder and walked over to her sleeping beauty, flopping the battery onto the bed. As every morning, he flipped her onto her chest and unstrapped her bra in order to put her battery in. She woke up and Michael strapped her bra back up, kissing her neck and kneeling beside the bed. She looked at him with a dreamy smile.  
  
“You look better this morning,” she said, her green photo-optics glowing with the bursts of electricity coming from her battery cell.  
  
“I feel better, I think,” he replied. He leaned in for a kiss but she leaned way, stretching. “What’s wrong?” he asked, a bit hurt.  
  
“Nothing,” she yawned, sitting up and rubbing her face. “We had an adventurous night was all.”  
  
“Anything happen that I’m not aware of?”  
  
“You were possessed, but I took care of it.”  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
“I’m fine, but you’re not.”  
  
“I see that,” he said. He stood and climbed onto the bed, kissing her that way. She smiled and ran a hand down his cheek, looking into his blue eyes and humming the Speed Racer theme.  
  
“We need to get you a first-aid kit and sew you back up,” she sighed, her smile fading. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“It’s alright.” Such a sweetheart, she thought. He got off of the bed and slipped a shirt on, waiting for her to get dressed. They left after a while, passing Sam and Chelsea making out with their door open. Janelle giggled and Michael shook his head, trying to forget what had happened to him.  
  
He played it off as if nothing had happened, trying to give her a sense of security that he was better than she had thought, when he wasn’t at all. He was tearing apart inside in fear. Peter…? Where had he gone? And what he had said? If he saw her with him, what would he say?  
  
Everything was about to be answered as they walked into one of the labs, Michael sitting on one of the slabs and Janelle strapping him in. Janelle turned around and was faced with Hatchet. They gasped and Peter looked over, glimpsing over to Michael.  
  
“Reed,” he hissed.  
  
“Not while she’s around,” Michael replied with a roll of his eyes. Jan looked to her father and then to the reaper. Hatchet walked back over to Peter with a couple more gauze bandages and Peter stood.  
  
“Get away from that man, Janelle Maryanne,” Peter barked. Janelle, surprised, cowered behind Hatchet. The yelling. Not the yelling. Her heart raced and her battery started to short. Michael looked over to her, fear on his face, then glared over to Peter.  
  
“Calm down,” he said. “She’s trying to help me.”  
  
“What happened?”  
  
“Someone possessed him last night and the planter bot got him.”  
  
“Tomahawk Alexander,” Hatchet sighed, dropping her shoulders.  
  
“T0mmy got to him?” Peter asked. “Does that explain the bruise on your arm?” Janelle hadn’t noticed it until now, looking down to see her bicep a deep purple colour with yellow around it.  
  
“Yes,” she said. “Can I help my boyfried now, dad?”  
  
“No, you may not, because he’s not your boyfriend anymore.”  
  
“What?!” the two shouted.  
  
“That’s not cool!” Jan screamed. Hatchet set her things down and put her hands onto Michael’s shoulders.  
  
“Darling, please understand that you must do as you’re told. If your pappy says no to your boyfriend you must respect that-”  
  
“Fourteen years of putting up with Smiths and you walk in as a Walter in the same shoes, dad. You’re a big jerk! You can’t force Michael or I to do anything!”  
  
“Janelle!”  
  
“Janelle,” Michael said, seeing her body tense. Janelle let out an ear-splitting scream, already bursting her vocal box she still had to have. Not everything was fully human, thus the broken cry and the sudden pain that hit her. She fell to her knees and held her throat, Hatchet kneeling down with her. She spat blood onto the floor and coughed, wheezing.  
  
“Jingle!” Michael cried, trying to free himself from the straps. Peter only left him there, walking over to his daughter in panic-less strides. Hatchet lay her down on the floor, pressing her hands against her neck. Peter unlodged her battery and she fell unconscious, Hatchet doing her best for the human parts.  
  
“You’ll have to cut her open,” Hatchet said to her friend. Michael cried out and pulled at the straps. Hatchet looked to him with a worried face, but Peter shot her down and stood, taking his daughter with him. He set her down on a table in Michael’s view, watching his panic grow.  
  
“What are you doing?” he asked, panting.  
  
“Operating,” Peter said.  
  
“Six,” Hatchet said, putting a hand to his shoulder, “I don’t think this is a good idea.”  
  
Peter turned to her and shrugged. “You’re the one who said to cut her open. You didn’t say in front of who, though.”  
  
“No! Don’t!” Michael shouted. Hatchet backed away, not wanting to get in the dark path that had passed to Peter. What had he really seen? Whatever it was, it gave him the power to take the nearest sharp object, a pair of scissors, and stab through his own child’s neck. Michael screamed, started to cry, then looked away. Hatchet gasped and grabbed at Peter, but he only pushed her away.  
  
“Get back to your son who you mercilessly killed, you wh0re,” he seethed with such fire, Hatchet swore she saw Grimm standing behind him, as if he were a marionette. Hatchet fell back and watched in horror as Peter gouged out her throat, pulling out her voice box and walking out without another word. Michael, head still turned away, cried out with choked on obs.  
  
“Michael,” Hatchet said, “don’t you dare look.” There was no answer, for Michael understood. He kept crying, trying to calm himself. Hatchet walked over to Janelle, seeing her eyes were still open and her face pale. Blood was everywhere. Hatchet shook, putting her hands over her. She shut her eyes and a flash of light filled the room, the bot falling to the floor.  
  
Michael looked over, Janelle was a perfectly fine neck, blood all around her. She was way too pale to be alive, that was for sure, battery or not. Michael looked out the door of the lab, pulling at his straps. This must’ve been a Rabbit tale, for he couldn't get out with all of his might.  
  
“Help!” he screamed. “Somebody help! Please!”  
  



	162. Vivian pleads with Death, Bunny Rabbit wakes up, The Spine finally learns what happened to him and gets a hug, Hatchworth nearly gets initiated into manhood - Whistler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final installment of the original collaboration. However, I have contacted NinjaPastry and have his go-ahead to write a final chapter, rounding off existing plot lines and bringing some closure to the story. It won't be easy to do in one chapter so it may take me a while... we really brought things to a complicated turn before life got in the way. So enjoy this for now and I'll do my best to combine NinjaPastry's input and my own ideas into at least reaching a comfy stopping place.

Peter slammed full on into Vivian coming from the lab. She gasped sharply.  
  
"Oh... I..." was all he managed to say before he realized he'd still been holding the scalpel.  
  
It was sticking from her ribs.  
  
Everything was in slow motion. He realized it had been that way since Michael and Jan had come into the lab. Before that was a blur as well... He hadn't eaten... He'd been through He!!... There was screaming in the lab nearby, a man's voice...  
  
 _Michael..._  
  
Peter's hands still ached and he was holding a bloody voice module... He looked down at it.  
  
 _Jan... Jan, no..._  
  
He sank back against the hall wall, his legs giving way and leaving him to slip to the floor, hard.  
  
Vivian, in Walter white now with a spreading blossom of blood around the little knife, looked down at him... but her look was worry, concern... she held her breath and pulled the scalpel carefully from her ribs, then pressed her hand against the wound. He heard her swear under her breath.  
  
"Cher! Come put pressure on it, please! It ain't deep but it's bleeding... I can't do it properly at this angle..."  
  
"Vivian... I'm sorry... I'm sorry!" he gasped, shuddering. "It's all wrong, I hurt everyone..."  
  
She dropped to her knees quickly, grabbing his hand and pressing it against her wound. "There, keep your hand there. Baby, I know you been through a lot but stay with me... Look at my eyes..."  
  
She tore off his mask and grabbed his head in both hands. "Look at me, baby. I'm here. You're home. Ol' Grimm knows the bargain he made. If he knows what's right, he'll step aside and let you be..."  
  
Her tone was sharp, firm, the voice of a woman who had lived 800 years. He looked into her eyes as though transfixed, forcing himself to keep pressing against the cut in her side. He'd been so afraid, and then he got back home, but he was still afraid...  
  
"I hurt them, Vivian!" he whimpered frantically, clutching her shoulder with his free hand. "I hurt everyone! I deserve to be in He!!! I can't stop... I can't stop..."  
  
Her face twisted in rage and he cringed. "No!" he sobbed. "Don't hate me!"  
  
"Grimm!" she roared, and the very walls seemed to shake. "Do you love mischief so much? Do you hate me so much that you'd destroy every soul in this house trying to hurt me?"  
  
The hallway filled with darkness. There were cries from all over the manor, quickly muffled as if by the very darkness itself. Michael Reed, his cries now ones of pure terror, sounded very far away.  
  
"I?" came a voice of thunder. "You think I do these things to harm you? By my condescension only do you still live, girl! By my will and power! I hold this house in the palm of my hand and give it safe harbor. It is those who live in it who persist in seeking their own foolish destruction. My good for nothing servant now lies in his woman's arms, repeating himself like a talking doll! My finest Reapers, to the last one useless, the elder two constantly rutting and now absolutely limp, not one doing their duty, their miserable, petulant son as good as dead before he can even take up the mantle! Every attack that passes through this crossroads has struck and done damage because of their incompetence, and you call me out for breach of contract? I should send you all to He!! for the same reason!"  
  
Peter shut his eyes, as if he could dismiss the darkness with more darkness. But out of the void came a voice of strength, small but powerful.  
  
"And yet you abide by the law, Grimm. Free Peter from the weight placed upon him. Clear Leo's mind..."  
  
 _He calls him Ardo.._. Peter thought, terrified. _Is she trying to piss him off?_  
  
"Walter places the weight on himself. And I gave Hatchet the power to clear Ardo's mind! Yet she left him an idiot to soothe Lina!"  
  
"I know. I... didn't appreciate that... but I did understand. Carolina needed to help someone else. Sometimes that's the only thing that keeps you alive... I should know."  
  
"I am the only thing keeping you alive, Vian!" boomed Grimm from the darkness. "And the only promise I ever made to these people was to let them live! And you see that they do live..."  
  
"Grimm, please. Please... for the good of all. Step in as you have in the past."  
  
There was a moment of deepest silence in the fog of blackness. "Are you... actually praying to me?" came the voice at last, softer now.  
  
"You are a god, Grimm," she said, almost too calmly. "To speak to you is to pray."  
  
"No one prays to me..." came the voice in almost a mumble. "They scream and curse mostly... Then they pray to the Big Guy..."  
  
"Vivian..." Peter whispered desperately. He still had his hand against her ribs, terrified to move it. She put her arms around him awkwardly.  
  
"Hush, cher."  
  
"What would you have me do, then? Forgive all? Even the Top Banana doesn't do that without a lengthy screening process..."  
  
"Death isn't known for being the kind of God who expects repentance and meekness. I think that you don't want to lose these Reapers..."  
  
"Of course not! Do you know how hard it was to acquire them? I still nurture some hope that they will achieve the potential I once saw in them... but look at them! None of them functional, not even T0mahawk. How that one used to love his work... but even he had to be chastised, even he is useless, wasting all his power trying to punish his sister for her happiness!"  
  
"He is the one who keeps attacking us?"  
  
"Yes, of course! Or he did, until I cursed him."  
  
"Ah. You know the value of a skilled servant, or you would not have let T0mahawk get away so lightly."  
  
"Lightly? You think that was light? He'll feel every hurt he inflicts until he learns mercy! The fool thinks it only applies here. Wait until he gets started over in Washington... I won't have freelance demons, he will learn his place!"  
  
"Precisely my point, Grimm," she said quickly. Peter clung to her, hoping she knew what she was doing. "You gave him another chance to redeem himself."  
  
"Or destroy himself!"  
  
"Would anything less have worked?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Please."  
  
"What makes you so wise? There are humans who would be just as stupid after two thousand years. Yet here you are, wise, and wanting to give it up in his arms. I can assure you he won't be very good... he has almost no experience with women, and none at all in certain areas..."  
  
Peter was surprised to feel a sudden stab of anger cut through his panic. Who said he was going to be bad at it? He'd read books...  
  
"Down, Walter. She's made up her mind," Grimm said dismissively. "And practice makes perfect. Well, I came here expecting to have some fun and make you all suffer and here I find myself back in the undesirable role of benevolent uncle. Your debt deepens, Vian. Had you not spent most of your extended years serving your fellow beings you would belong to me now..."  
  
Vivian said nothing, and Peter wondered if she'd known that. He'd give up science and become a social worker if he thought it would spare him returning to that He!! he'd seen.  
  
"It won't," Grimm chuckled. "But as it happens, you are your own judge. Judge others honestly, and you will in turn be judged honestly. That's straight out of the Supreme Being handbook, right there. You're welcome. For now, I will attend to my own. Ardo has displeased me greatly but he has also provided some unexpected laughs. For that, I will set events in motion to give him back what my Reaper knocked loose. The rest is up to him... and all of you. Until I return to claim him for an overdue training session."  
  
The presence vanished from the room, the darkness sucked away as though trailing in his wake. Peter could see Vivian again. She kissed him gently.  
  
"I don't deserve you..." he whispered, breaking down. "I'm so sorry..."  
  
"Cher..."  
  
"No... I know. I wouldn't try to convince you to leave, even if you could. I just can't..." He swallowed. "Thank you. I'll be okay."  
  
"Don't lie to me."  
  
"I'll be okay for now?" he tried.  
  
"Alright."  
  
"We... we have to check on the others. In the lab. We have to get in there. I think there's some tape and gauze around... will that be enough to hold this?"  
  
She nodded. They struggled to their feet together and hurried in to soothe Michael and see to the others.  
  
\----------  
  
There was quiet in Rabbit's room. Bunny had been in stasis in Rabbit's body for several hours.  
  
And suddenly she wasn't. She thought she heard a whisper, saw a strange shadow pass through the room and away.  
  
"Ugh! Rabbit needs to get these LEDs tuned, I'm seeing things now!" she muttered. "But I'll be d@mned if I'm going to be the one sitting through maintenance. This ends now."  
  
Sam was stuck just like her. Her brother was unconscious, she hoped... considering he was trapped in The Spine's body. And all of their real flesh bodies were in the care of people who were used to being able to break metal bars and smack into walls without damage. And who weren't used to having to eat, eliminate waste, wipe afterward... No, she was done letting people turn things into pandemonium. The wedding was going to be chaos enough. And she'd been looking forward to that bachelorette party! Annie said she was going to bring Godivas...  
  
"I don't even have any ta-ta-ta-taste buds D@MN STUPID STU-STU-STUTTER!" she swore, deeply frustrated.  
  
Hatchet had mentioned a treatment for Leo's concussion. Bunny was all over that. If that mysterious lump of coal had any value at all, it was time to use it. And as it burned the entire time they were in there without fading, she assumed it would be burning still.  
  
Good thing she had metal hands at the moment.  
  
She stumped out of Rabbit's room, clinging to the walls from time to time and leaving scratches in her clumsiness. She just hoped she could cope with the basement stairs.  
  
\----------  
  
"Spine? Gosh, it's strange to see you this way! Where's your lovely wife?"  
  
"Oh! Peter! She's seeing to AJ."  
  
"You don't often call me Peter."  
  
The Spine smiled. He was so calm this way... "That's your name."  
  
"I know, but I had to go and name my son the same and confuse everyone. May I come in?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
The Spine, now dressed in a spare set of his usual black clothes, hurried to remove an oil can from a seat and waved Five into the room. He sat in the offered chair and sighed.  
  
"Does she think she can get him back together, old man? I can assist, if need be... Peter isn't up to it yet, I suppose..."  
  
"Peter? You found him?" gasped The Spine.  
  
"Oh, right! You don't have your wifi anymore. Yes, he just turned up on the lawn muttering something about He!!, so I heard. Annie's gone to check on him. I suppose he must have landed out there and got knocked out and had a bad dream."  
  
"Maybe... But you should be with him. I'll be fine. I've got the knack of the bathroom and I ate an hour ago. It went pretty well but I bit my... I mean, David's tongue."  
  
Five smiled uneasily. "You enjoying this? I know you always craved it..."  
  
"Sometimes craved it. And yes, I am. I wouldn't stay this way... I'm a lot weaker and I have less features and David could never handle my body." He laughed, a deep, rich chuckle that didn't really sound like David at all. It trailed off into a sigh, his smile fading. "And of course... it would be nice if my wife could look at me without cringing."  
  
"Oh, Spine... It's a shock to her, old man."  
  
"I know. I just... miss being able to hold her. Just a hug, y'know? She won't squeeze at all. I guess I don't blame her. I feel like I'm made of straw."  
  
"Well... I really hope to be able to straighten this out soon. But before that... The reason I came here is to see whether Hatchet had explained what happened last night. Before all this, before Peter disappeared."  
  
"No, she just handed me over to Matt and went to fix AJ. What's going on, Five? You're so serious... I thought you'd be excited about finding Peter."  
  
"Do you remember anything about last night?"  
  
"Oh, well... yes. Nothing I'd discuss in polite company..." he said, with a wicked half smile.  
  
Five chuckled. "Thank you. So I suppose you went into stasis after that."  
  
"Beyond a doubt, and it's the last thing I remember. Why so mysterious, Five? What happened to me while all of those other crazy things were going on?"  
  
"Very little happened last night, to be honest. Well... That's not true. A helluva lot happened. But you did a lot less damage than you would have... That was the goal."  
  
"Damage?"  
  
"You malfunctioned because of a rogue program."  
  
The Spine snorted and promptly sneezed. "That was new," he said, sniffling. "How could I malfunction? My body isn't like it was. Dark power controls it."  
  
"Ah, yes, well. Be that as it may, your mind is still robotic and you have certain programs still in place that took hold. They never should have caused so much trouble, but... Spine, you've been repressing a traumatic event. You have been for months. As near as I can figure, the extreme strain of holding it back triggered an old battle program."  
  
"My whole life is a traumatic event, Peter. Please just come out with it. What am I supposed to have forgotten?"  
  
"You remember the night that those whatever-they-weres took over your wife and the other ladies?"  
  
David's eyes widened. Peter knew it was The Spine but he just couldn't keep from thinking of him as David.  
  
"Of course," he said quietly. There was a tremor in his voice.  
  
"Hatchet... held you down for a while, you remember that?"  
  
The Spine looked away.  
  
"Spine?"  
  
"I remember."  
  
"Do you remember anything she did at the time? Besides hold you?"  
  
"I... remember that I was afraid."  
  
"Naturally..."  
  
"No! I'm never afraid! Not like that..."  
  
"I'm sorry, old man. I wouldn't put you through this if it wasn't important. Can you keep your cool while we discuss this? I understand you need to while you're in that body..."  
  
The Spine nodded. "Hatchet said it was dangerous. But why bring this up now?"  
  
"You were assaulted. The full memory of it is in your data storage. It's going to restore when you return to your body. I didn't want you to have to face it without warning."  
  
He hesitated. The Spine was wiping his eyes. How much did he remember anyway?  
  
"You'll need to start dealing with it. We're getting in a therapist for some of the others and I was hoping I could persuade you to see her."  
  
"What? A robot seeing a shrink?"  
  
"Psychologist. A woman named Negrete."  
  
The Spine looked at him in surprise. Five smiled.  
  
"That's right. Steve's grandmother. I think a dragon can handle any problems you might have in the process of recovery."  
  
A little smile came to The Spine's face. "I'll meet her, at least. How could I not?"  
  
"I know what you mean. Although how to tell her about the accident... Then again... I think I'll call her. She may be able to help with Lil Steve."  
  
He rose and walked to the door. "Peter?" The Spine called hastily.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"What... what exactly happened to me that night? I need to know. Just keep it simple so that I can have time to process it. I know it was horrible... I can feel it... this body's hairs are standing on end..."  
  
"Spine..." He sighed. Out with it. "She... forced you to... Spine, it was rape. I'm sorry, there's no delicate way to say it."  
  
The Spine nodded slowly and put his hands over his face.  
  
"You knew, didn't you?"  
  
"I suspected," he said weakly, sliding his hands down his face. "I remember being held down. She told me what she wanted to do... I remember her starting on my clothes. And I remember being afraid she would hurt Hatchet. I thought maybe she'd not managed to get very far... How could I forget being raped, Peter? I'm a robot!"  
  
"From what Hatchet told us, you put the memory on timer and kept postponing restoring it. I don't really blame you either."  
  
David's face crumpled and The Spine began to sob fitfully, like a child, unable to control the unfamiliar body. Five turned and walked back to him. He pulled him to his feet and enveloped him in his best fatherly hug. The Spine flailed a little at first, startled, before relaxing and letting out a deep sigh.  
  
"If I can hug Peter, I can hug you," Five murmured gently, rubbing his back soothingly, and The Spine clung to him and cried. The old Pappy instincts never faded, and by Five's reckoning, The Spine had needed a good Pappy hug since 1942.  
  
"Thanks..." The Spine gulped, laying his head wearily on Five's shoulder.  
  
"Are you sure you want to stay in here alone?" Five said eventually. "Why don't you come with me instead?"  
  
"I don't want to cause any bother..."  
  
"Stop right there. You've been here much longer than I have. You're entitled to cause anything you want. And I don't want you to have to be alone after hearing that. Come on."  
  
The stepped out into the hallway and nearly collided with Ian. He was muttering, "Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no!"  
  
Five caught his arm and stopped him with effort. "What's going on? Weren't you in charge of Hatchworth?"  
  
"Let me go, Five! He's loose! He slipped away! Crap, crap, CRAP!"  
  
There was a feminine giggle somewhere down the hall. Ian looked sharply toward it and his flushed face paled before their eyes. He tugged his arm loose before Five could yell at him and ran down the hall, stopping with a slide in front of Sam and Chelsea's room.  
  
His mouth dropped open. "Hatchworth! Stop that!" Ian roared.  
  
"He didn't..." The Spine gasped.  
  
"Does he even know how?" Five asked.  
  
"Not that I know of but he has an internet connection..."  
  
Five hurried to join them, The Spine trailing behind him like a puppy. Chelsea was, with difficulty, sitting up in bed, sheets held tightly under her armpits, cheeks flushed, the bump of her belly now significantly defined under the cloth. She was glaring at Ian. Hatchworth, as Sam, was lying beside her, propped on one elbow, wearing a rumpled bathrobe.  
  
"What in the... Oh, Sam, you didn't shut the door!"  
  
"Is that bad?" replied Sam... or rather, Hatchworth.  
  
"Very funny."  
  
"But you said I should shut the door if I did not want people to see us make love, and I decided I did not mind if they saw so..."  
  
"You what?" Ian screamed.  
  
"Dang it, Ian!" she was saying. "Mind your own... Wait... what?"  
  
"I thank you, Miss Chelsea. That was very informative."  
  
"Why are you talking like that?" she asked very slowly.  
  
"Should I not?"  
  
"Hatchy! Oh, please tell me you two haven't..."  
  
"Hatchy?" Chelsea shouted. "Are you off your rocker, Ian?"  
  
"I asked about relating to humans, and you just told me that humans must bathe daily, Mr. Ian," Hatchworth said pleasantly. "So I turned on the shower and got in, but my clothing was a great hindrance to proper cleansing. Then Miss Chelsea awoke and wanted to know why I was being so silly. I told her I did not want to be offensive my fellow humans and she asked, 'Why stop now?' Then she giggled and gave me a kissy kiss, and I thought there was much I could learn from her that Mr. Ian would not share."  
  
"So that was what you meant by relating! Argh! Of course I wouldn't share! You actually have the parts now!"  
  
"So then she took off all the wet clothing and gave me this lovely robe..."  
  
"Oh, no! You two..."  
  
"We were just kissing, not that it's any of your business!" she said. She frowned and looked back and forth between them. "Only... Look, I realize I must seem very slow, but... Ian, exactly why are you calling him Hatchworth?"  
  
"There was an accident! Their bodies got swapped!" Ian shouted. "Hatchy! Out!"  
  
"Oh, great..." she groaned. "No. No, I cannot deal with this right now. I have a prenatal check-up today and leg cramps and freaking hemorrhoids and... No. Just no."  
  
"Miss Chelsea?"  
  
"Someone couldn't freaking leave me a note, maybe? ARGH! Get the He!! out of here until you're Sam again, you meat puppet!"  
  
"Do you want your robe back!"  
  
"No, Hatchy!" cried Ian.  
  
Chelsea shoved Hatchworth-as-Sam with both hands and hastily grabbed her sheet before it fell. "Go!"  
  
"Very well! There is no needy to be pushy and shouty!"  
  
Hatchy as Sam walked, shoulders slumped, from the room. The upper portion of the robe seemed to have been pulled loose and his face was flushed. Five had to wonder just what else Hatchworth had learned about.  
  
"But she initiated the kissing! I was only gathering data for the next time I see my girlfriend!"  
  
Ian quickly closed the door. There was a loud crash from inside.  
  
"Are you okay?" called Ian.  
  
There was an incoherent scream of fury and a second crash in response and Ian took a step backward. Five put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Best thing to do is to get out of Dodge, son. Come on. I'll ask Annie if she can come on up and talk with her later. She can drive her that check-up too... She'd probably love it. Come on, boys."  
  
They met Sam-as-Hatchworth as they went downstairs. "I think I'm getting the hang of this," he said lightly.  
  
"You just take care of that chassis, meaty boy!" Hatchy growled. "You think you are so great with that sassy meaty walk..."  
  
"What?" Sam said, perplexed.  
  
"Oh, um... Five, why don't I take Sam for a walk? For practice? And to tell him about... Things that he might have missed?" The Spine said carefully.  
  
Five nodded, glad he was off the hook. If Sam found out Hatchworth had come within inches of becoming a man with his body and his girlfriend, he might just kill himself. In a manner of speaking.  
  
And the Spine needed something to do. Five had explained everything he could and right now he wanted more than anything to check on his son.


	163. The Chapter to End All Chapters. Almost.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everyone finds this crap as amusing as, well... As the authors... especially a woman who was once a man and figures that's more than enough change for one lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the wrap-up, with permission from NinjaPastry, who says maybe we'll add someday when we have more time. At this point, I dunno when that will be for me. So I'm gonna try to make this good. It ran longer than expected so I split it into two. I just figured we should tie off some trails before the last bit.

There it was, next to The Spine's head. Bunny stared at it, and at the robot beside it.

David was in there. Her twin, once identical, as close as siblings could be short of being conjoined. Her brother. And she couldn't switch him on because, so they had finally told them before heading upstairs, The Spine had been sexually assaulted. Of all people, The Spine!

She was scared, more scared than she'd been since her dear bumbling twin got pneumonia. She wanted so much to talk to David. But if she activated him now...

The Spine had her pity. But she had to save her brother, her friends... herself. And Hatchet had said this was a cure for Leo, who had done this in the first place.

She picked up the burning coal and headed for the family wing.

 

Peter fixed the voice module with trembling hands. Michael Reed sat and watched, glaring, holding Janelle's hand. Vivian, gauze wrapped around her waist, was seeing to his shoulder. She had turned out to be competent at stitching up wounds, having been the local equivalent of a medic for so many years. It must have hurt a great deal but Michael only flinched slightly as the needle went in, his eyes remaining fixed on Peter.

"So help me, Peter," he said in the quiet and gentle voice he was known for, all the more frightening for it, "If it weren't for Vivian..."

"Now, cher, keep still," Vivian murmured soothingly.

"Sorry," he whispered, at last turning his head away with a grimace. Tears squeezed from his eyes.

"It was ol' Grimm that drove his actions, Michael."

"Was it?" Michael said faintly. "Did Grimm tell him what to think, what to say?"

"He pushed him to the worst of himself. Peter just walked through Hell and horror to come home. He should be in bed."

Peter could have sworn that despite the rich brown of her skin, Vivian blushed. He sympathized.

Michael nodded and murmured, "I... feel dizzy..."

She had him lay back on the work table beside Janelle, barely fitting them both on it together, and put his feet up on a rolled up drop cloth. When the stitching was done, she turned to Peter.

"Is it done, love?"

"Yes, but how to put it back in... And Hatchet. Why is she still unconscious?"

"Is her power off?"

"You can't turn a Reaper off and on again. Well, unless you're The Spine..."

Vivian looked puzzled. He sometimes forgot she was from a decidedly different culture. And it seemed like the sex jokes were everywhere all of a sudden... He was just as glad she didn't get it.

"She doesn't have a power switch," he explained.

"I guess she wasn't the tool ol' Grimm was gonna use to fix Leo..."

"Why do you call him 'Ol' Grimm', by the way?"

"Oh..." She giggled wearily. "Because it... how was it Bunny said it... it pisses him off."

Peter heard Michael Reed snicker softly from where he lay.

"There you are..." Five hurried in and stopped short, staring. "I don't know where to start..." he gasped. "If your mother saw this, son... There's blood everywhere!"

Peter looked up for a long moment. He put down the mechanism and all but threw himself into his father's arms.

"Oh!" gasped Five. "I heard you'd been through Hell but..."

"Dad!" Peter sobbed. He couldn't come up with anything more coherent than that so he just clung to his father and cried, tears drizzling from his mask.

"Vivian?" Five said awkwardly over his head. "If you could bring me up to date while your intended lets it all out, I'd appreciate it."

 

Bunny made her way carefully up the stairs. Rabbit was too heavy for the lift. She took it anyway, of course, but Bunny had better sense.

She arrived at Leo's room and tried the doorknob. It took several tries to grip it enough to turn it without actually denting the metal. But when the door opened, she couldn't get through.

"What?" she cried, pushing against some unseen force. "Dammit! Why can't I just work in an actual madhouse instead of this magical kingdom of freaking voodoo?"

"Huh? Wha... What's going on, Rabbit? Oh, no, wait... Bunny?" cried Carolina.

Bunny could see her in the bedroom, sitting up. Leo still snored soundly as the Walter Girl put on a robe and walked to the door.

"Ca-Ca-Carolina... dammit! Carolina... I know this is going to sound crazy..."

Carolina actually smiled. She looked askance at the live coal. "You want to toast marshmallows? You're starting to _act_ like Rabbit now..."

"No! Look, Hatchet said this was a cure for Leo. Apparently this will clear his head or something!"

"Or give him another scar! How will that cure him?"

Bunny jittered and forced herself to stand still. "I have no idea. But Hatchet said it was."

"Hatchet..." Carolina murmured. She looked thoughtful.

"Well?"

"If Hatchet says it is," she replied gravely. "I believe her. I can't touch it but you can come in and..."

"No, I can't! I can't get past the..."

Bunny moved forward to demonstrate as she spoke and passed easily through the doorway.

"What am I, a freaking vampire?"

"What?"

"Nothing." Bunny stumped carefully across the room to the bedroom.

Leo shifted in his sleep. Bunny stared down.

"How do you suppose...?"

"Near the head, maybe? By temple. On the side with the bad ear. It won't stand out so much next to that. And it just makes sense to touch it to his head."

"Wow, you-you-you're ruthless..."

"Just get on with it," Carolina sighed. "I'm not enjoying this and you want to stop stuttering, right?"

"Ri-ri-ri-right. Ugh."

Bunny turned back to Leo. "Sorry, big guy. It's for your own good."

She touched the coal to his temple.

Leo screamed and jumped out of bed, clutching at the burn and jerking his hand away with a hiss.

"Ow, Rabbit, what the Hell?" he roared.

"Ask Hatchet. Only first, I need a favor."

"Like I'm going to do you a favor when you burn 'alf my face off!" He looked at Carolina and back at Bunny. "Wait... when did I go to bed?"

"That's such a long story..." Carolina said.

Bunny sighed. "But until he hears it, he won't understand what we need him to do." She stumped out, tossed the coal into the fireplace in their living room, and sat carefully on the loveseat. Leo and Carolina joined her and Bunny said, "What do you remember last?"

 

"Between you and me, I don't really _want_ to get used to it," Sam said.

The Spine smiled. "Neither do I. If it weren't for certain things, I might..."

"Your wife?" Sam asked, carefully stepping down the stairs.

"And my son, and of course, David. I wouldn't sentence him to living as a Reaper."

"You mean dying as a Reaper."

The Spine was silent for a moment. "Most of staff seem too afraid to even mention it. Thanks for joking about it."

"Are you being sarcastic...?"

"Not at all. I had thought myself very good friends with many of the staff. Then my eyes started turning black..."

"And your temper..."

The Spine sighed, looking down. "Yes. That too."

"I mean, it's not some weird kind of racism. You kill people..."

"No. I collect souls."

"Point is, you're the guy in the black cloak with the scythe. Scares people, y'know?"

They stopped at the front doorway and looked out into the sunshine.

"So why not you?" The Spine asked quietly. "Why aren't you afraid?"

"I'm going to be a father soon. Death is nothing, man."

The Spine surprised them both with a bright giggle.

"That was one of David's," Sam remarked.

"Comes with the body I suppose. Hey, speaking of being a father... I'd really like to see how Hatchet is doing with AJ. After everything blacked out for a few minutes there, I assumed Grimm was giving her trouble with the repair process."

"Why would he do that?"

"From the sound of it, she's done enough damage that the repairs could interfere with her duties. She'd have to, to stop even a young Reaper, possessed by an older one. Grimm probably sees AJ as a liability and wants him scrapped."

"That's horrible!"

"I agree. But Grimm prefers finding strong help, not untrained children. And we took it upon ourselves to have a son."

Sam chuckled. "That kinda how it works. You just find yourself... well..."

"In bed with the woman you secretly had the hots for for the last year?"

Steam hissed from Hatchworth's stovepipe as Sam muttered, "Was it that obvious?"

"Not to Chelsea, apparently."

"She loves me, y'know. Turns out. I can't imagine why."

The Spine sighed. "I think that's how love usually affects you."

Sam eased himself into a sturdy iron garden chair and said, "Tell you what... You go check on your wife and kid, okay? I'll kick back here. It'll be nice for a change to sit outside without worrying about getting a sunburn."

"You sure? You have enough water?"

"Just filled up. Go on."

"Thank you." The Spine hurried inside and began checking the labs to find his family.

 

It was coming back in fragments as Bunny spoke to him. He didn't like it one bit.

Leo had embraced his new role. The power felt good but he had learned enough of life to not let it control him. He had seen the damage tyrants could do. He had seen far too much, in fact. The last eight years of his life had been the happiest he'd known up until the night Carolina led him into his room, asked him to unzip her dress, and... well, they had been the happiest years, and they hadn't even been real. Before that, he'd had constant struggle and become stronger for it. To have the power equal to that strength felt right. He felt whole, in his growth, in his potential, and in love.

To hear that he had been concussed and firing nether blasts in every direction like an MMO noob just made his skin crawl. He couldn't even see the funny side of it... Bunny was dead serious as she spoke, but Carolina, despite a troubling air of nervousness, kept giggling. Maybe it was a nervous giggle. It was on his mental list of things requiring investigation.

"So you can fix it all now, right?" Bunny asked, her tinny voice quavering slightly.

He felt a stab of pity; struggle taught you that, too. She was usually in control, and she had been trapped in an out of control body. She was scared and she didn't like admitting that. He knew the Matter Mistress well.

"Ze trouble is... I don't know if it will work," he confessed.

Bunny's lip trembled and she put her hand over it. The hand began to rattle.

"Oh, Leo! Can't you remember anything about how you did it?" pleaded Carolina.

"Nothing. I can almost remember trying to save Peter. Zere must have been brain swelling. Why didn't 'atchet heal all of it? Ah, but... maybe brain tissue... it's pretty delicate, I guess she didn't want to screw around with my 'ead."

"Please, Leo..." Bunny said hoarsely. "David is trapped in The Spine's body! If he's activated, he'll remember... he'll think he was raped. He'll have the whole memory of that happening to him! I can't... that would be like letting someone assault my brother, Leo!"

"Shh... now, Matter Mistress. You know better zan zis. We would not allow it," he said soothingly.

Bunny closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm sorry..." she gulped, steam hissing from her lips.

"Don't be. Your concern is reasonable. Ze first zing to do, zen, is to retrieve Peter. 'e can adjust ze Spine's processor..."

"But the memory will be there..."

"Delayed."

She nodded again. "Alright. I'll go back into stasis. I feel jittery..."

She started to stand.

"Why not just do it here?"

"It's more effective in the charging dock..."

"Can you get back on your own?" asked Carolina.

"Fine. I'll be fine." She rose shakily and stumped out.

Leo pulled out his phone and sent a text to Matt, asking him to make sure she made it. He was the only automaton left fit to do it.

"I zink I can trace 'is route from ze place where 'e first disappeared," Leo said, changing his clothes with a wave of his hand.

Carolina stood and kissed him. "You're so sexy like that."

"Sank you. But before I go... 'ow are you?"

"What?"

"You're shaking. What 'appened?"

She looked away. He gently took her in his arms and held her.

"Tell me when I return. And tell me what 'appened to your cast."

"What?" she gasped, looking down. It was a mass of hairline cracks. Leo waved a hand and it fused once more.

"You shouldn't be 'ere comforting me, dummy," he said warmly. "You need to stay in the 'ospital... Zis place is a mad'ouse."

"I'm not a dummy, stupid," she said, hugging him tightly.

"I know."

He kissed her brow and vanished.

 

The Spine scratched his head. He sometimes did that as an affectation but this time his head actually itched a little. It wasn't a nice feeling.

He'd been to three labs and still hadn't found Hatchet. He had found AJ and the sight was haunting him. The boy's head was blackened on one side and he looked too peaceful to be their nonstop problem child. He'd held his hand for a few minutes as he grappled with tears, before setting out once more to look for his wife.

And here he found, not Hatchet, but another surprise. The robot pet Peter had promised him stood, cocking its little head, inside of a cardboard box. It appeared to have been in stasis until he entered the room.

And it looked finished. There was a core gleaming in the center of its little chest, sending faint streaks of blue between cracks in its plating. It had four legs, a tail made of a spring, and a smooth oblong head with two raised metal curves like ears. There were no eyes, but it still turned its head as he moved, as though watching him. He supposed it had sensors instead, possibly inside the ear curves.

It trilled softly. What did that mean again? It was so much easier to remember things as a robot! It was turned toward a small pitcher. The Spine picked the pitcher up and sniffed it. He was new to scent but he remembered that this was a clean smell. Water.

A panel opened on the little creature's back, revealing a tiny opening that looked like it had been salvaged from an old iron. He carefully filled it until he heard a ding and the panel closed. He could swear he heard it purring.

That did it. He put the pitcher down and scooped the creature up. It butted its head against his chest. It stung a little.

"Look at you! When did Peter get time to do this?"

He supposed it must have been while Vivian was out shopping... but how could he have done it all so quickly? Unless... unless he'd had the parts ready! The Spine had a sudden nagging suspicion that the pet had never been intended for AJ, and that Peter hadn't just made it to test Vivian's necklace. But The Spine had been so eager to have it... If he was guessing right, he'd nearly spoiled a surprise Peter was planning for his new daughter.

He sighed. AJ couldn't appreciate it now. Even once he was repaired, he might not be ready to tend a pet. It was only right that Janelle get this. The Spine carried the little robot out of the lab and continued his search.

"Come on, darlin'. Yehr gettin' a new mammy," he said affectionately.

Oops. Apparently the Irish accent had come with him. Only why hadn't it shown up earlier?

He swallowed hard, panic rising in his chest. No... if the darkness overtook him in this body, David would be doomed! And he didn't want that on his conscience... there was enough there already. He hurried to the next lab, hoping to find her there.

 

Leo had meant to go straight to the vault but old instincts caused him to check over the manor first. He could do so without being delayed by questions; no doubt anyone he met would have a lot of questions!

He saw a little metal giraffe. He vaguely remembered her being mentioned. She was trotting around with Emmeline and Lil Steve.

He passed Annie asking the visiting Renix family where Peter was. He hurried away; Annie's hysterics gave him a headache.

There was a group in the kitchen, all fairly subdued. Ro was sending a bucket of blood to a distant wing instead of the vaults. Bunny had mentioned that Lil Steve, in the body of big Steve, had cleared out all but the fire-retardant Carol due to his inability to control his flame breath.

Leo was just about to go down there and brave the flames to start his search when he heard someone say, "Five says Peter needs and extra pair of hands."

_What?_

"Where?" asked Ian.

"Lab six."

Leo whooshed there without delay.

 

The Spine had come to lab six. He had almost run out of labs to search and was thinking maybe she wasn't in a lab at all since she hadn't been with AJ. His logic in this body was rather dull as well.

And then he saw her. He almost dropped the cat as he ran in and skidded to the floor.

"Hatchet!" he cried.

"Spine! I thought you were walking Sam around..." said Five.

The Spine realized there were other people in the lab. He looked up pleadingly at Five.

"What's wrong with her?" he cried. "Why isn't she responding? Is she in stasis? I... I can't tell..."

He looked at his slim pink hands, the cat dropping off his lap and trotting away. Peter picked it up.

"We don't know, Spine..." he said weakly.

"She healed Janelle," said Michael, propping himself up on one elbow. "She... she was hurt."

"What? But why would that knock Hatchet out?"

"She also 'ealed me. It was too much in such a short time," said a voice above him.

Most of them cried out in surprise but Peter said, "Oh! Leo... thank goodness! I need your help! This needs to go into Janelle's throat but Hatchet has healed it over..."

Leo waved a hand and the vocal assembly vanished. Peter carefully felt Janelle's neck and said, "Oh... um... thanks."

The Spine got to his feet clumsily and grabbed Leo by the shirt. "Help her! She's so still... This isn't right!"

Leo's eyes widened as he looked at The Spine. "Calm down..." he began.

"How can I be calmin' down when she's layin' there like that?"

"Spine!" Leo barked.

"What..." he began. He could see his reflection in Leo's widened eyes. His own eyes, looking back at him, were black.

"Leo!" he gasped, shuddering. "Help me! It's too much... I can't control it in this body..."

Leo caught David's shoulders firmly. A dark mist passed from David's body into his and The Spine collapsed. Leo shuddered.

"What... what did you do..." The Spine asked weakly, trying to rise.

"I took your power," said Leo in a voice that sounded like many people speaking at once. "I will return it when you are safely back in your body."

"But you... you can't..."

"I 'ad to. I promised to keep ze manor safe. I won't let David be 'urt." He took a deep breath. "It's time to end zis. First things first, though. I need backup, in case I'm wrong about 'ow to fix it."

"What backup?" Peter asked, frowning.

"Don't worry, Peter. It's no one new. In fact, she's already here."

He knelt beside Hatchet and put his hand over her core. Black smoke curled from his fingers. Hatchet opened her eyes.

The Spine took her hand. "Hatchet! You're... are you alright?"

"What... I must have... Leo?" she stammered. "How?"

Leo helped her to her feet. "Ze coal. Bunny is tired of being a robot. It's time to put everyone back. I need your Reaper skills, to make sure each one goes where it belongs."

Hatchet looked as though she was about to cry. She wiped her eyes hastily and said, "It would be my greatest pleasure." She turned to The Spine, who was at last on his feet. "It has to be done, love. But... when I see you again, you're going to remember something terrible..."

"I know," he said gently. "Five told me. Do what you need to do, Hatchet. I'll be alright as long as you're there to comfort me."

"But... you'll remember _me_ doing it..." she said in a quavering voice. "You'll hate me..."

"No... I know it wasn't you. Do you understand? I won't forget that."

"How? Won't you look at me and see the one who hurt you?"

"No, because... because if it had been you, my love, there would have been no need to force me."

"This isn't funny!" she sobbed, looking away.

"I know. I'm not joking. I felt it wasn't you. Understand? I knew." She nodded and he whispered, "Please... let's get it over with, alright? I want you to be able to hold me again."

"Alright..." she began. Her face crumpled and she looked at five and cried, "Can't you take the memory away? Why must he suffer like this! You know robots, just take it from him!"

"Hatchet..." The Spine said quickly. "Don't. Don't try to spare me. I need this."

"How can you say that? Every time you remember, you cry and lock it out all over again!"

"I've been dealing with this for months now. I have little snatches of memories. I don't want it just wiped away. I need to work through it. We need to. Just... make sure you're there when I'm activated, alright?"

She closed her eyes and nodded. He cupped her cheek but didn't try to kiss her. It didn't seem right, and he knew she wasn't attracted to him this way. Now that he would be going back to his body, he was glad to know that she wasn't.

She opened her eyes and vanished. Leo looked around sharply, as though caught off-guard, and did the same.

Five took David by the arm and led him to a chair. "I don't know how quickly they'll do this... but based on what happened last time, you'd probably better sit down."

 

Hatchet stared down at her husband's body. "Time to get you back where you belong, David love. I don't think your fluffy girlfriend even knows you were sent here. She's better off."

Leo appeared beside her. "Here goes..."

"Just... please be careful. This is going to be painful enough."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Spine meant it. 'e knows what really 'appened."

"I know," she whispered, stroking her husband's smooth cheek.

Leo closed his eyes. "When I release 'im, take 'im to 'is body. Ze rest should take care of itself..."

"How do you know?"

He opened his eyes. "I don't. But I feel it. Zat will 'ave to do."

Hatchet focused her mind, watching. She saw the mist that was David rise slowly from the automaton's body and hover. Hatchet hastily caught it by one vaporous tendril and whooshed to her husband.

No one saw her in the lab. Even The Spine, his powers nullified, looked blandly at Peter as he carefully powered on his daughter, checking her vocal assembly and apologizing. Hatchet was surprised at the surge of relief she felt when Janelle put her arms around Peter and frankly forgave him. She rather liked the girl... sometimes... in spite of everything. She reminded her of someone.

She turned to her husband, wondering what happened now. The mist in her hand tugged toward David's body and she uneasily let go... usually when she had a spirit in hand, it went in her pack.

To her relief, it slammed into David's chest like a mallet, drawn automatically back to its host. The body jerked backward, its head tipping and the mouth flying open all at once. David's eyes rolled back in his head and a dark mist poured from his lips as Five cried out and caught him before he fell. Hatchet caught it in capable hands, waiting until all of it was expelled. David began to cough. Hatchet whooshed back to the vault.

"Go' it!" she crowed.

"Zen put it back!" Leo gasped, startled by her sudden appearance.

She didn't know if the pull would be the same; David was an organic being and his life force would be naturally drawn to itself, driving out invading matter. So she carried the essence she held lovingly to her husband's body and placed it on his chest, where it was immediately drawn into his core. His body jerked slightly; she heard a soft ping but nothing more indicated he was back where he belonged.

"We can't activate 'im yet... not until ze others are corrected."

"I know," she murmured. She was ashamed of how relieved she was for the small reprieve. "We should begin with the artificial beings first, each time. It's safer for the mortals."

"Alright. I think Lil Steve is ze most urgent next."

"What? Why?"

A blast of flame shot past the vault door. "Sorry!" cried a gruff voice and another shot of flame followed the first.

"Oh bloody smegging Hell!" cried Carol, sounding close to tears.

"Mm..." Hatchet mumbled.

They whooshed upstairs.

 

"Thanks for keeping me company, kiddo," Steve said gloomily.

"Oh, nonsense! You're so darling this way!" Emmeline cooed.

"Yeah. I know. And I thought I was short before."

"Oh, you. You're awfully tall."

"To you, tiny." He sighed. "I just keep thinking of your mum down there, dealing with Lil Steve. And what if he messes up and starts to transform? She's fireproof, not crush proof!"

She stared blankly. She hadn't thought of that.

Steve went limp.

"Steve?" cried Emmeline. She picked him up before he could fall off of GG's back.

"What's wrong?" asked GG. "Is the little poppet sick?"

"He's stopped talking! He's stopped moving! Oh, Mum's gonna melt me down if... Steve!" she screeched directly into the doll's face.

"ARGH!" it screamed back. Emmeline shrieked and dropped it.

It got to its feet easily and put its little hands on its hips. "Look, kid, I know you're in good with the big guy but..." He stopped. "I'm back... I'm back? I'M BACK! WHOOOO!"

"Lil Steve?"

"Yeah!" he cried, dancing around the floor.

"Then... Is Steve back in his body?"

"If he is, he can freaking have it! I need innards like I need another hole in my head. And those gonads are always getting stuck in his tight pants!"

"I... uh... don't want to know any more..."

 

"Oh, bother..." Carol sighed, looking at her singed and melted sweater. At least her clothes were still modest, but if this went on much longer, she'd be starkers.

Lil Steve, in Steve's body, shrugged and kept his lips clamped shut. And then he flailed wildly and fell on his backside.

"Oh, here we go again, and you're so bloody heavy!" she groaned, leaning down to give him a hand up.

"Carol?" he cried, looking at her as though she'd just materialized in front of him.

Flames weren't coming from his lips. She forced herself to remain calm, not daring to hope. "Steven?"

He got to his feet in seconds... something Lil Steve hadn't mastered. "It's you! I'm... I'm here, Carol! Um... why are you crying?"

She couldn't speak. She just stared at him with her chin trembling. He pulled her close and stroked her back. "Shhh... it's okay. I'm back, baby. And, uh... I believe I owe you a honeymoon."

She gave in, threw her arms around him, and sobbed.

 

Bunny stared out of the stasis chamber. She wouldn't have admitted it, but she was terrified to engage stasis. She was pretty sure she knew how.

She was just afraid to wake up and find she was still there.

Hatchet appeared before her. Bunny stared at her.

"Hatchet?" she whispered.

"It's time, love," Hatchet said gently. "Leo knows what to do now. Thank you, by the way. I apologize for making you wait."

Bunny grimaced and tried not to cry.

"Oh, now, none of that. Just go to sleep. It'll be easier."

"Do you promise?" Bunny squeaked.

"Promise, love. Engage stasis. When you wake, you'll be flesh and blood."

Bunny closed her eyes and complied.

 

"I don' wanna use it!" roared Rabbit.

"Stop that! You'll make her all hoarse!" Carissa snapped, nearing the end of her tether. "If you want to get off this toilet you'll have to use something!"

"But those pads are all slippery!"

"I know, that's why I'm suggesting..."

"Ya want me ta jam a big cotton cigar right up my-"

"Hers! Not yours! Hers! And I sure as Hell ain't sticking it in there! Ugh! For crying out loud! She's on her period! You're a girl, this is part of it!"

"I wanna be a robot again!" Rabbit wailed. "I don't wanna be all soft an' juicy!"

Carissa looked at her in blank astonishment. Bunny just looked so weird like this... well, it was Rabbit doing it but it was Bunny's body wailing like a 5-year-old. If she hadn't been sitting on the toilet, she'd have made a video...

Hatchet appeared suddenly. "Sorry, love. Looks like this will have to be a team job." She looked with distaste at the scene before her. "Ugh... biology."

Carissa waited a moment to make sure her heart hadn't actually stopped. She was edgy enough. "Please tell me this means..."

"It does. Time to send Rabbit back."

"Seriously, don't tease..."

"I promise. Hold her, she's going to go limp for a moment."

Carissa somewhat reluctantly caught Bunny around the shoulders. Rabbit looked pitifully up at Hatchet.

"It's over?" she said wearily. "'Cause it ain't fun anymore. My tummy hurts..."

"It's over, Rabbit. Time to be a robot again."

She made a gesture, and Bunny's body drooped. Carissa held on with difficulty... Bunny was a big girl.

She opened her eyes. "Ca... Carissa?" she said blearily.

"Um, yeah," she replied, looking uneasily at the awkward situation they were in. "Hatchet said... Oh, she's gone."

"I... Oh, I have my period..."

"Yeah... sorry..." she said with a weak laugh. "I mean, I didn't do it but..."

Bunny giggled and started to cry. She pulled Carissa into a hug. Carissa flailed slightly and sighed, patting Bunny's back awkwardly.

"What... oh... Yeah, it's good to have you back. And I'd love a _real_ hug after you're, um... y'know... not on the toilet."

Alone in the bathroom a moment later, Bunny giggled through her tears. Having periods had been the worst part of becoming a woman, but right now she couldn't be happier about it.

 

Rabbit woke in her stasis chamber. She blinked at the quiet room.

"I'm back! I could go pull all kinds of crap!"

The docking station pinged softly. Rabbit sighed and went into stasis instead. She hadn't been able to figure out how to power down as a human and she was exhausted. The mischief would have to wait.

 

Sam still sat on the porch, staring dully at a squirrel that was scurrying around nearby. He loved squirrels but he just couldn't raise any enthusiasm.

He heard someone in the entrance hall.

"No, not too fast, sweetie... That's it... The doctor said it isn't going to happen too fast so there's no hurry... Annie's bringing your bag."

Sam stiffened... even more than he already was. Sure enough, Ro and Chelsea came through the doorway a moment later. He stood abruptly and stared. Chelsea stared back. Her face dropped into a scowl.

"So..." she said irritably. "Which one are you now?"

"Chels..." he said weakly. "I never... I didn't do it on purpose." He cocked his head at her. "What's going on? Are... are you..."

To his shock, she replied, "In labor? Yeah. I am."

She grimaced even as the words left her lips. Ro put her arm around her.

"Breathe through it, honey..."

"Chels!" gasped Sam. "Should... should we call an ambulance?"

Ro laughed. "Noobs. She has time. She might even be sent home after they examine her."

"What? Why?" he cried.

"It happens all the time. Labor passes faster if you aren't laying in a bed for hours."

Sam looked down at his hands, furious. "I can't be like this now! You need me... Argh! That Leo... I know it wasn't his fault but I swear..."

He abruptly stopped talking and sank forward.

"Sam?" cried Chelsea.

Ro raised her eyebrows. "Maybe he needed stasis?"

There was a long, breathless moment of uncertainty as to how to cope with malfunctioning boyfriends before he popped back up and smiled. His eyes fixed on Chelsea and the smile dropped instantly. He backed away slowly and hid behind the corner of the manor.

"Mr. Ian has explained some things to me and told me I am to apologize and beg for forgiveness!" he called. "I am terribly sorry I tried to let you do the nasty with me!"

"Mr. Ian?" Chelsea echoed faintly, ignoring his ramblings.. "Mr Ian! Ro! They're back to normal!"

"I know, honey!" Ro cried happily, pulling out her phone.

 

Hatchworth was sulking. "I did not know! It isn't fair!"

"What isn't?" Ian grumbled.

"Everything! Why did you tie me to the table?"

Sam's body was squirming like mad as Hatchworth attempted to free his hands. But Ian had learned to tie up out of control vampires and someone as ordinary as Sam just didn't stand a chance of escape.

"Because you're an idiot. Now quit squirming."

"I'm telling Mr. Five on you!"

"Fine! Do it! After the last couple of weeks I am seriously jonesing to get fired!"

Hatchworth opened his mouth and slumped forward over the kitchen table. His head landed with a thunk. Ian was glad he'd taken the precaution of taking his glasses.

"Hatchworth? Hatchy? Um... that's not supposed to happen..."

Sam's body jerked upright as he reached for it. Ian shrieked.

"The crap was that?" he cried.

"Ian? Ian, what the Hell?" Sam said, squinting at him.

"You know what," Ian replied darkly.

"Untie me, you a$$hole! _This_ is how you kept Hatchworth under control?"

"He was... wait... Sam?"

"Yeah! F*cking untie me!"

"Yeah, that's Sam..." Ian muttered, hurrying to comply.

"Better, finally! Chelsea's in labor, I gotta get out there!"

"No way! Hatchworth was just..." He clamped his lips shut.

"Just what?"

"Just saying she must be due any day..." Ian squeaked.

"Oh. Weird. Where are my glasses?"

"Oh... here you go."

"Thanks!"

Sam bolted to his room to get some clothes on besides the boxers and bathrobe. Ian sighed with relief and sank into a chair.

"He might find out sometime, but not from me..."

 

Leo returned to his room. He'd taken a few moments to talk to Hatchet, asking whether she wanted him to stand by when she activated The Spine. She said she'd call if she needed him.

And then she frankly confessed what she knew he needed to know... what T0mahawk had done to Carolina... or tried to do. She was in tears but Leo assured her that he understood.

But he sat down on the bed with a heavy heart. She had dozed off and he hated to wake her. But he didn't need to; she rolled over and smiled sleepily up at him.

"Carolina... 'atchet told me..."

He smile faded. "Yeah... But it wasn't really..."

"AJ. I know. 'e's a twerp and full of 'imself but not zat bad."

"Yeah. I'd want him to learn his lesson after that stunt he pulled, but not like that."

There were tears in her eyes. He waved himself into his pajamas and slid into bed beside her, pulling her close.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else. You've been 'urt so much 'ere..."

"Maybe," she whispered. "I don't want to talk about it right now."

He nodded and held her until they both dozed despite the bright morning sunshine.

 

Hatchet stared down at him, her hand on the power switch. It was silly; all that kept him unconscious now was a barrier spell placed by her own hand as soon as Five had repaired him. He would have automatically powered on otherwise then, or after Leo returned his Reaper powers... which he had done just before returning to his room. But it seemed right to throw the switch. He had always powered on this way, ever since before she'd been activated herself.

There hadn't been time before to cope with the aftermath of the memory restore. But there was now. The day was only half over, the people restored to themselves. Steve and Carol had left the vault to tell Peter they were finally leaving for their honeymoon, after making the same offer as Leo.

She pressed her lips together and did what was sadly not the most painful thing she'd done in the last 24 hours... not quite the most. She flipped the switch and removed the spell all at once.

There was a systems check. He still had one. His eyes opened and he looked at her.

"Hatchet," he murmured with a smile, reaching toward her face.

His eyes widened and she sobbed as he muttered, "Oh no..."

She took his hand and held it. He clamped his eyes shut. "No..." he gasped.

"Love! I'm so sorry!" she wailed.

"Stop... delete memory! _Delete memory!"_ Bundle and delay restore... What? _No!"_

It was horrible, worse than she'd imagined. The memory was restoring in his mind and all she could do was watch and wait. He shuddered and sat up sharply and she wept and held his hand.

"Let me go..."

"It's over! Don't be afraid, it's over now!"

He shook all over, sobbing. "Don't hurt her..."

"I'm fine! I'm here! Please!"

"Just please let us go... why wouldn't she let us go?"

"Oh... love... I'm so sorry!" she cried at last.

She couldn't take it away, she couldn't help... she shouldn't be anywhere near him! She started to back away but he wouldn't release her hand.

"Hatchet... I know it wasn't you..." he gasped, pulling her back to him.

He opened his eyes. Oily tears pooled beneath them. He put his arms around her and buried his face against her neck.

"You told me to leave it!" she sobbed. "You said..."

"I know! Please... just hold me!"

It was all she could do. It was all she wanted.

Well, almost all. She hummed softly and stroked his hair, even though she knew it was only a wig.

"I love you," she sighed.

"I know. I... I know you'd never hurt me."

If she could, she would have stayed this way until he was ready to move. But there was another hurt that had to be tended.

"Love... listen... AJ is in terrible condition. I want to repair him but something kept stopping me. I'm afraid that it's because he's..."

Her voice broke and The Spine leaned away and looked at her with a tear-streaked face.

"You're afraid he's beyond repair."

"Or beyond my ability. I don't know what to do!"

"Hatchet..." he whispered as she broke down at last. It was too much! His pain she could just bear with him, but the thought of her baby broken on that table, beyond repair!

The whole night's struggles came over her at once and she shuddered with sobs. He caught her in his arms once more and held her.

"I'm here," he whispered. "Don't try to spare me. Don't try to cope alone. We're all hurting, m'love. I would rather hurt with you than not hurt without you. But right now, we both need to find it in ourselves to go and see him. I was in there earlier in David's body. I couldn't assess much then. Let's get Peter and his father and check it out. If we can't do it, we'll call Jon in. He has the original plans..."

"And if he can't fix him?"

"I don't know. I suppose we'll think of that when we have to."

"But you're already hurting so much. Are you ready for this?"

"I'm not ready to endure all this and losing my son as well," he said thickly. "I want to try and repair our child. Alright?"

She nodded and with a swish of his arm, they were whisked away to lab six to collect the help they needed.

 

Five and Peter were examining AJ. Janelle stood in the doorway, holding her cat. Michael Reed stood beside her, looking in with a worried frown.*

"We'll start on the things we know we can fix. We won't be able to test any of his motor functions until his upper body is repaired anyway. Are you two ready to assist?"

Hatchet and The Spine stepped forward. "Of course," The Spine said firmly.

Five looked him in the eye. "It's fully restored, isn't it? The memory..."

The Spine nodded solemnly.

"Oh... I'm sorry, old man. I was told you had to face it to get through it..."

"I do. But just now I've fragmented the memory temporarily into smaller files. I can remember one at a time. That should minimize the damage until I can get through this."

"And have some therapy sessions with Steve's grandmother. Alright?"

"A Reaper seeing a psychologist?"

"Yes, dammit. Who would need one more?"

Hatchet mumbled, "I might want to chat with her myself."

They turned to their work. The external damage took a couple of hours. The internal damage took longer. They were making good progress, however, when they reached a part of AJ's processor so damaged that they weren't even sure what they were seeing. Hatchet muffled a sob and turned away; The Spine urged her to take a break. By then, Jon and Upgrade had arrived with the plans and stepped in to help.

But the plans offered very little comfort. They did reveal where in his head the module was, and its function: chronological memory.

Five took a minute to rest and wipe his brow. Peter sighed at the plans as Jon said, "We could just replace it, but then he'd forget things."

"How much?" The Spine asked.

"I don't actually know. It depends on where his processor thought each event should be stored. Let me see... It's partially mapped."

"Better to replace the damaged pins that lose the entire module," Peter said as Jon studied the diagram.

"But... will he know us? I mean, will he remember we're his parents, or will we have to start over?" Hatchet asked.

Peter was staring at the plans. There was no reading his face, but she could see him stiffen.

"Peter?" she pressed.

"Oh..." Jon said faintly, lowering the paper.

"Hatchet... I'm sorry..." Peter began.

"I didn't wanna say it," Jon whispered. "It was shielded, but he got hit so hard..."

She put her hand over her mouth.

"We can save him, Hatchet! We can still raise him..." The Spine said faintly.

"It's just... it feels as if he's dying. As if... I've killed him."

The Spine held her, but it almost made her feel worse. Everything was her fault! She should have seen these attacks coming! She'd failed them and they were all so damaged! She couldn't bear it, couldn't face them knowing that it was her fault. And now, now she couldn't even go to Grimm and beg him to burn her to a cinder because then her contract would be null and more people would die!

"I know what's going through your head," The Spine whispered into her ear. "Just as surely as if you had told me. It wasn't your fault, and destroying yourself won't undo anything. Don't you dare think of it for one more second! Do you hear? The one thing that brought me into this was you..."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No. It's not. I wouldn't expect anything to do that yet. It's just supposed to remind you that it isn't hopeless, that there's a reason to keep going. And that I don't want to raise our son alone. Don't go where you don't want me to follow because I'll be there. You're all I have... yes, even with everyone here, you're everything to me. Stay with me!"

She buried her face in his shirt. "Alright," she choked.

"Such a lot of drama! You kids surely do make everything seem like the end of the world."

Hatchet gasped and look around sharply. How could anyone make light of this situation?

Five was looking at her and smiling. "It's going to be quite alright, Hatchet. I'm here now."

"Y-you were already here," she faltered.

"I was... but not the way you think." He put one hand on her cheek, to her shock. "And my dear, I can't tell you in words how sorry I've been, how much regret I have for things that can never be undone. I never should have given way to her fears."

"Sorry?" What was going on? Five didn't act like this. And his California accent had shifted somehow... It felt old. She could sense a presence within him and her sensors told her the room was very cold; she could feel a drain as well on her own systems. "Spine..."

"I know, love," he whispered, staring at Five with a look of shock.

"Um, Dad? Don't make promises we can't..." Peter began, shivering. He trailed off, looking at The Spine. "Holy crap, it's cold all of a sudden! Hey, Spine... what's wrong?"

"And you, son," Five continued, turning to The Spine. "You've become so much more than I had even imagined. Look at you! With a wife and child. Colonel Walter's mechanical marvel, practically a living man. Better, I'd say."

"Dad?" Peter said uneasily.

"Pappy?" gasped The Spine, wide eyed.

The Jon dropped his wrench.

"Spine?" he said in a shrill voice. "It's not... is it?"

"I've come to help," Five said gently. "I won't stay... My days are past. But Peter the Fifth here happened to doze off over there and I got tired of watching. Young Peter VI here is awfully bright but I think the lad is all in, and I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. You need my help, I think. So how about I just take a look at this remarkable young man and see whether I can finally repay a long-standing debt and heal a mother's heart?"

He turned toward AJ but was obliged to stop. Jon was standing in front of him.

"Pappy!" the brass automaton cried and threw himself -carefully- into the man's arms.

"Jonny! My boy... Thank you. You always were a gentle soul. Ah, but you all were."

Jon released him, chuckling through his tears. "I missed you, Pappy! I missed you so much!"

"I've been here, though. I may never leave, or... well, I don't know. Once I make amends to Hatchet, I may be free to move on."

Hatchet looked down at her hands. "Don't... don't do this on my account. I'm fine," she said shortly, cursing her pride. But how could she accept?

"I know, dear. I did say I couldn't apologize in words. I can only hope to make some restitution."

"But I..."

 _"You_ are harder on yourself than even The Spine. For the sake of the boy, at least, allow me to continue."

He walked at last to the table and began to examine AJ. Jon gasped.

"I need to tell the others!" he squeaked, running out the door. "They'll flip out!"

"Splendid, that's just fine..." Col. Walter muttered, distracted already by the business at hand.

"So that's where I get it from..." Peter said quietly. He'd been standing and staring through the whole exchange.

Hatchet looked on anxiously. She felt very awkward and it didn't mix well with the rest of her feelings. She so desperately hoped that the colonel could indeed repair her son, though he had never worked on him before. He was the man who had pioneered their outstanding technology, and AJ had been based upon that. If anyone could repair him, it was this man. Grimm might be able to fix all with a wave of his hand, but she was just as sure that he would not. They had angered him too many times lately, and AJ had never taken the mantle of Reaper. He wasn't worth enough to Grimm to repair.

But the Colonel set to work, with no promise of reward, and she watched as tears trickled down her cheeks. The Spine stepped over to examine the work, and she saw him look at the man with a childlike expression of joy. They chatted quietly as the work commenced, and her husband sounded much like an eager teenager as he told his father about all that had befallen him lately.

"Forced," the Colonel was sighing. "Don't say any more. I know. My boy, if I could have saved you... I never wanted to see you suffer, but circumstances..."

"Don't, Pappy! I know. And... Hatchet just needs a little time."

She scowled at him and The Spine shrugged apologetically at her.

Rabbit ran in with Hatchworth and Jon. "Where? I just see tha same old palookas!"

"Him! He's using Five's body!"

"Bullsh!t," muttered Rabbit.

"That's just silly," Hatchworth scoffed.

"Pappy! They don't believe me!" Jon pouted.

"Rabbit..." Col. Walter said over his shoulder. "Look at you! I apologize... after the candy mines it seemed like you were happy the way you were, so we never changed you back."

"What?" Rabbit gasped.

"You look wonderful! Much better than before I fastened on your first jaw, back when we got back from Africa. I remember you said, "Pappy, I don't wanna look scary and..."

"...Make da babies cry..." Rabbit finished, eyes wide. She stood, stunned, as he continued his work. "Pappy..." she whispered.

"See?" Jon said proudly.

"Hatchworth, old sport... Everyone was furious when I had to lock you away, but you and I both know the truth."

"Um... Which one?"

"You were afraid it would happen again. You asked me lock you up."

"I did..." Hatchworth said faintly. "It really is Col. Walter..."

Hatchworth leaned against Rabbit for a moment. Jon stepped in and held him up instead; Rabbit was trembling too much.

"Spine!" Rabbit choked. "It's Pappy..."

"I know, Rabbit."

She seemed to snap out of it suddenly and wiped recklessly at her eyes. "Yeah, guess yehr mo-mo-more worried about yehr kid right now, but..."

"I am worried but... I'm happy. Come here, Rabbit. I need to take a break. Why don't you help Pappy?"

"The day you need a break," she scoffed. Understanding bloomed in her face and she cried, "Oh! Yeah, I'll help ya out, buddy."

The Spine returned to Hatchet, to her relief. Jon and Hatchworth, who had remained silent the entire time, moved closer and joined Rabbit who, eyes often brimming over with oil, handed her pappy tools and talked nonstop. They took turns helping and talking eagerly with him as Peter VI looked on in wonder.

"I never thought of routing it that way..." he said.

"It's not usual but it works like a dream. There. He might lose a little of his memory but he should retain most of it," said the Colonel. "He's a bully piece of machinery, Spine."

"Thank you," The Spine said thickly, moving forward to examine the work.

Col. Walter stepped back and turned, wiping his hands. "Boys... um... sorry, Rabbit. Old habits die hard. Even when you're dead yourself."

"Oh, Pappy!" sobbed Rabbit, putting her arms around him.

Hatchet watched bleakly. This was all very sweet, but she had separated herself decades ago from the family and she was worried about her son. But Col. Walter had apologized. She believed he was sincere. Why didn't she feel anything?

He was hugging Hatchworth now, admiring his improvements and repairs and apologizing to him, too. Jon got another hug and she could see her husband fidget. Surely the Colonel would be leaving Five soon and The Spine doubtless wanted one last hug himself.

"Go on," she murmured, as he turned back to her. "While you still can."

"But what about you, love?"

"It's... not that easy," she sighed.

He kissed her gently and turned. Colonel Walter was looking at them and smiling.

"Spine... That was a sight I wouldn't have missed for the world. Give her all the love you can, to make up for what I foolishly denied her. You have all become so much since I last saw you and I couldn't be prouder."

Hatchet stood abruptly. Her chin trembled.

"Pappy..." she whispered. "Did you know me? At the end... did you know it was me, taking you away from your body?"

He smiled. "I did. I was so relieved when I knew. I had been afraid, and then you came like an angel to take me. I may have returned from time to time to the manor to check on you all, but my initial journey was free of fear, thanks to you."

She broke at last. She ran forward, carefully embracing him. "I love you!" she sobbed. "I'm sorry I was so angry!"

He held her stroked her back. "Hush, Hatchet, love. I couldn't be angry with you if I tried. You were quite right to be upset. What happened was monstrous and I have had no rest because of it..."

"Then have it! It's alright now."

He kissed her brow. "Be happy. Wake your boy, and I pray that my efforts have come to the right results."

He turned to the others. "It's time. It's been lovely to see my children again, but I don't want to overstay my welcome in this shell. This young man deserves to have his body back."

Peter VI could be heard faintly snorting, "Pfffft... young..."

"Goodbye."

"Pappy!" they cried almost as one.

Five went limp. Hatchet hastily supported him as The Spine stepped in and lifted him to a chair.

Annie hurried in at that moment. "There you all are! Oh! Peter!" She swept her son into a huge hug. "You had us so frightened!"

"But I didn't do anything..."

"I know! That Leo needs to keep his wand in his pocket!"

Janelle and Michael snickered softly from the hall where they waited. The automatons were silent.

"Well!" Annie cried. "I never thought I'd see the day when a potentially filthy joke didn't get Rabbit's approval. And yes, I know it's you now. I met Bunny on the way here."

"Not in the mood..." Rabbit muttered, sniffling.

"What's happened? Why is my husband sleeping in a rickety desk chair? He _is_ sleeping, isn't he? Why is everyone crying? What... my word, what have you done to that boy, Peter? And where's Vivian?"

"I sent her to bed, Mom," Peter explained.

"Well, good," she replied, forgetting all of the other questions instantly. "Now let's get these plans finalized so that you can take care of the paperwork and vows and then we can send you both to bed already."

"Mom..." he groaned. Another giggle from the hallway.

"Well..."

"Let's just power on AJ, shall we?" asked The Spine. "I'm after worryin' myself sick."

"AJ?" Annie asked. "Oh, that's right... oh, dear, is he alright, then?"

"We don't know. We have to power him on and test the repair the Col... the collected scientists have made," The Spine replied quickly.

Annie looked at Hatchet and her snoopy expression softened. "So many worried mothers," she murmured. "Alright, dear, I'll get out of your way. Good luck!"

Luck? Hatchet hoped they didn't have to trust luck. It had never been on her side. But now she knew that Col. Walter was...

Annie walked to her husband and started slapping him lightly to wake him. Peter, The Spine, and Hatchet approached the work table. AJ looked like he'd been through at least as much as... well, as much as he had.

Hatchet whispered, "Go on, then. No sense delaying."

The Spine powered AJ on. The systems check seemed to take forever. He opened his eyes and looked up at them.

"Mum?"

Hatchet put her hand over her mouth to muffle the sob. After a moment, she said, "Yes, darling! It's Mummy!"

He rolled his eyes and grinned a lopsided grin. "Just Mum, alright? Wha... what happened? I thought we were going to meet the others for lunch... Did I malfunction?"

"It's hard to explain."

"Where's Emmy?"

"Emmy? Oh, yes... your friend."

AJ smiled a little shyly. "Yeah. She's great, Mum. She loves the big dipper ride too! And Boyle's alright, y'know, when he gets over 'imself."

"AJ," The Spine said thickly.

AJ blinked at his father. An expression of pain and confusion passed across his face briefly.

"Yeah, Dad?"

The Spine helped the boy sit up and pulled him abruptly into his arms.

"Dad!" AJ cried, flailing. Hatchet couldn't help noticing some slight tics in his movement and hoped they wouldn't affect walking later.

"I love you, AJ," The Spine mumbled through tears, kissing the boy on the head.

"Mum! Mum!" AJ cried, terrified. "I knew it! I'm dying or something!"

Hatchet laughed and embraced them both. "No, love... but it was close."

"Mum?" came the muffled response.

Peter sighed and called, to anyone who might have been waiting to hear news, "He's alright. Let's all get some rest."

"Yes, at long last," Annie sighed. "And then we're going to get on with getting you and Vivian married."

Peter smiled. "About time, too," he replied.

"I never thought I'd see the day," Five said groggily. "Did we finish the repairs, then?"

"I'll explain to him," Annie assured them as they went their separate ways, even though she wasn't exactly clear on events herself.

Hatchet and The Spine remained after everyone had gone. AJ had stopped struggling; he went into stasis soon after, weary, though he didn't understand why. His parents took him to his room and returned to their own.

They curled in their hammock together. Hatchet would have ordinarily suggested letting off steam with a tryst, but considering the trauma he now remembered, she decided against it.

"I won't let it destroy everything," he whispered, and she realized he was crying.

"What?"

"I know you're avoiding sex. I... want to, but... Thank you. But it's just for now. I won't let that bi... I won't let her win."

"Call her whatever you want," she said darkly. "She's gone."

"I let her, though. To save you. I made my choice. That helps a little."

She gave him a squeeze and wished that it helped her. "You'll see Mrs. Negrete, then?"

"If you will."

"Alright."

She wasn't doing it to humor him. 

 

Peter sank into bed after a brief stop by Vivian's room. He was right; she was still awake. He let her know everything was well and got a goodnight kiss and hug. And life seemed a lot brighter.

Janelle adored the pet. But she'd also asked for a real one. He decided to introduce her to Marshmallow.

He dreamed once again of Vivian's house in the woods. So did she.

"Someday soon," he told her as they looked into the fire. "We'll come here together."

"And finally share that bed," she whispered shyly.

The day couldn't arrive soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Which I can just picture and let me tell you, he's just as cute frowning.  
> 


	164. The Real Chapter to End All Chapters (The Whistler)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding of the century. Pretty sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The big finale as far as I know. Miles away from SPG canon now, the wedding of the Walter heir, and the highly significant wedding night. I don't get too graphic but there is a bedroom scene in here, and lots of innuendo.

3 months later...

 

"Just ask if they're with the bride or the groom," Bunny said dryly.

"Is anyone likely to be with the bride, though, seriously?" David asked with a smirk.

Bunny gave him a sour look and wondered whether she should have let him be an usher.

"Jerk."

"Oh, lighten up. She's from another dimension!"

"And she's my friend and we're gonna do this right! Besides, the one thing knowing Vivian has taught me is to never assume."

"Alright, alright! Bros before bros, right?"

"What?"

"I... dunno."

"Right," she said dryly. "Give some of these to Sam, if you see him."

Bunny handed him a stack of engraved programs and went to see to other preparations. She passed Sam herself a minute later. He had a papoose baby sling on his stomach over his suit, and seemed to be glowing. Any little animal makes him happy, but especially that one, she thought, peering into it at the tuft of orange hair on the plump baby sleeping inside.

"He passed out right after his breakfast," Sam said, beaming.

"Good. We need this to go smoothly."

"I'll stay at the back, just in case."

"That's why you're an usher, bro." 

She smiled and moved on. Chelsea was in the wedding party. They had all agreed she needed the chance to dress up. The robust ginger newborn was a sweet-tempered thing with a taste for sleep, but a baby was a baby and his mother had been dealing with baby blues despite the huge network of eager helpers.

The bachelorette party had to have been a help, though! There had been the best chocolate... Annie had slyly had a stripper in for it, which left Bunny cold. But Annie had insisted, to her surprise, that it had to be a male stripper since Vivian wasn't interested in women. Carissa had said later that she was pretty sure Annie was just trying to find an excuse to enjoy the stripper herself. They respectfully didn't breathe a word about that to Five. He probably enjoyed the evening out with the guys, doing much the same thing.

The part Bunny couldn't help finding adorable was that, by her brother's account, Peter had enjoyed the stripper at their party exactly as much as Vivian had enjoyed the one hired by Annie... not at all. Vivian had, in fact, been found in her room after the party broke up, and no one was quite certain when she had slipped away. Peter, she was told, had sat rigidly in his seat, hands rubbing together in nerve-soothing patterns, as the girl before him whirled tassels with great skill in opposite directions.

Yes, this was right. These two fit like pieces of a puzzle. She'd never believed in true love, but they were beginning to make her wonder.

 

 

"Oh, so pretty!" Carolina gushed as Carissa fastened Vivian's hair up at the back.

It cascaded down her shoulders in great masses of platinum curls, looking like a foaming waterfall. She was wearing a soft white dress, simple but elegant. Annie had insisted on taking her to a bridal shop, even though Bunny had offered to sew one for her, with Gabi's help on the trim. In the end, though, Bunny and Gabi had their way; Vivian, predictably, found the dresses in the bridal shop to be either immodest or garish. Bunny, on the other hand, made a dress that was as soft as a nightgown, and Gabi had embroidered the hems with simple thread. Vivian was utterly delighted with it.

But as she looked at herself in the mirror, her heart thundered in her ears. Soon, her Peter would see her in this. And she had to admit, he was going to be impressed. She felt as lovely as she looked as Carissa carefully arranged a handful of sparkling little flowers in her curls, with a dainty tiara in the center. Carolina was dabbing her eyes carefully; her hand had taken a long time to heal and was still tender.

"Who's walking you down the aisle?" she asked.

"Oh, Peter's father has agreed to do it. It was very sweet of him. I wasn't sure what to do. We don't have the same wedding traditions. I decided the earth procession was suitable."

"Are there any traditions you wanted to use from your world?"

"All the important things are part of this one. The vows, the kiss..." She trailed off.

"Oh... how is that going to work out? He hates taking off that mask in front of people."

Vivian gasped softly. He did. And he had thrown it off in front of masses of people when he thought it was the only way to save her! She fought tears. _Peter... sweetheart... I hope you don't have to see me die tonight instead..._

She was almost certain that the wedding night would be the beginning of her life, not the end. She knew that the contract that had kept her alive for 800 years would be fulfilled when she at last lost her virginity. She just had the nagging dread that this would mean that she would die the moment that... well, she wasn't sure how far you had to go to be considered fully deflowered, but in Peter's arms, to be sure. And she wondered if she could go through with it.

There was a soft rap at the door.

"Is that Bunny?" Carissa asked sharply. "It better not be Peter..." Gabi, who had been sitting and gazing rapturously at the preparations, jumped up and trotted to the door.

"It's just me," said Leo through the door. "Fifteen minutes. Oh, and Vivian has guests on 'er side! Thought she'd like to know."

"Do I?" she gasped.

Who could they be? Oh, but of course! She had sent a wedding announcement to Henry Lamouelle, who had sent back hearty congratulations and assured her that he would be there, as well as his daughter and grandson. Well, how lovely of them to come!

"One of them says she need not worry, that 'e will make sure there is someone to give 'er away."

Was Henry offering? That was lovely, but... "But Mr. Walter was gonna give me away!" she cried.

"I told 'im and 'e says that's alright. Just show up on time and the rest will take care of itself."

Vivian sighed sharply, her nerves tattered.

"It's alright, Vivian," Carolina said soothingly. "Some of the people around here might screw around with things, but Leo doesn't put up with crap."

"And if he did, Bunny wouldn't," Carissa agreed, leaning away to study her work. "Although she's supposed to be in here, helping out! Still... holy Hell, that looks pretty! If I do say so myself. You look like a cosplayer."

Carolina chuckled. Vivian looked questioningly at Gabi, who shrugged. She relaxed slightly. She had learned that if Gabi didn't understand it, then it was probably some obscure Earth thing...

There was another rap at the door. Carissa swore loudly and heard a snorting laugh from outside the room.

"They sound like my kind of people," said a dry, faintly sarcastic voice.

"Is Miss Chelsea in there?" came Hatchworth's voice.

"No, she's getting dressed in her room," Carolina called.

The door opened slightly. "Good. I have brought my friend to meet the bride."

Hatchworth moved aside to allow a tallish woman to pass through. She had golden brown hair and wore a simple but attractive dress, long and flowing, that set off her figure well. Vivian blinked at her in surprise as Gabi ran to embrace her.

"You're a sorceress," she murmured.

"Spoken like a fellow witch," the woman replied, beaming. "I don't wear black much, myself. Nice to see another witch out of the usual funeral togs. Especially at a wedding. Congratulations, hon. I brought something you might need... I understand this is a true white wedding, and I don't expect you're quite clear on what might be in store later this evening."

"Oh!" Vivian gasped, her face burning, and accepted the small parcel the woman offered her.

"Hatchy!" snapped Carolina.

"Was that a secret?" he asked blankly. "We were only discussing the sex and whether Tabytha knew how to have it with a robot, and she..."

"Oh, no, now, I'm not taking the blame for this one. Come on, goofy, we need to go wait for the ceremony." She took his arm and led him out.

"But you never told me whether you knew how," Hatchworth objected.

"I'm very creative, baby. We'll discuss it later."

Gabi shut the door hastily and sank to the floor against it, giggling helplessly.

"Well, crap," Carolina muttered. "Texting Leo. This can't end well."

"Good," Carissa said sourly. "I don't know what a witch could possibly do with Hatchworth, but Chelsea told me... well, he got a pretty good idea about how things went before he got found out and if Tabytha is as creative as she says then I have no doubt that poor little Hatchworth is gonna more or less lose his innocence within the next twenty-four hours."

"I think that's cute," Gabi sighed, smiling as she rose. Vivian suspected Gabi had recently learned similar mysteries based upon the blushing looks she and David had been exchanging. They had been close when she had arrived, but now they stood just a little closer and touched a lot more, and David had gone from sparkly-eyed adoration to speechless devotion. Besides, Bunny had told her that David hadn't come to their shared room the weekend after the Renixes had gone home, and that she was convinced he and Gabi had spent a night in the vaults.

"What's in the packet?" asked Carolina.

"I'm afraid to find out," Vivian murmured. "Maybe I should put it with the other gifts."

"I don't think so!" Gabi said quickly. "Tabytha brought it here for a reason. She must have meant it to be opened in private."

"Sounds more like a shower gift than a housewarming present," said Carissa with a wink.

That spoke volumes. Vivian had received some very interesting pieces of lacy underwear at the bridal shower. She cautiously opened the packet and blinked in confusion.

"Jelly?" she asked, puzzled. "How will that help?"

Carissa was shuddering with laughter and Carolina grinned.

"I was sure it would be some kind of fertility fetish or something! Imagine her bringing something from a drugstore!"

"Very practical!" Carissa giggled.

"What does Ky mean?" Gabi asked, peering at the bottle.

"Just, um... tuck that into your bag and take it on your trip, okay? Trust me on this," Carolina said firmly.

"KY Jelly!" Carissa crowed. "Too much!"

"But..."

"It... helps if things don't quite... um... fit where you want them to," Carolina explained.

Vivian might have needed further clarification at any other time, but not just now. Her wedding night weighed heavily on her mind right now and she had no further questions. She did, however, tuck it into her travel bag. She and Peter would be honeymooning at her little house in the woods and while she had heard of the married couples there using various ointments as needed for similar issues, she had no interest in seeking out the ingredients upon arriving. She expected to be far too busy to take the time.

"I was mad at Hatchy but now I'm glad he did it," Carolina sighed. "Trust me, it can make all the difference. Trust a  witch to know something that practical... Oh... although that just makes me that much more worried about Hatchy..."

Vivian didn't want to think about it.

 

"Dad... do you have any last-minute advice?"

"Well... strip her slowly. Women like that. Nice and easy like..."

"Um... Dad... I take it back..."

"Get her really hot and bothered before you..."

"Dad!" Peter gasped.

"You're going to have to deal with it, son. The two of you are going to be lovers before another 24 hours have passed. I know you read a lot in books and I know you don't want to hear it from your dad, but if she isn't worked up enough before you go for it, it's gonna hurt."

Peter groaned.

There was a rap at the door and his mother sailed into the room without waiting for a reply. "Oh, look at you! Oh, sweetheart! Even without a face, you just look so handsome! That suit is perfect!"

Peter wriggled. The jacket was tailored and he had to admit that it made him look like James Bond in a keyhole mask, but he was used to looser clothing. Or at least jeans.

But he had other concerns.

"Have you seen her, Mom? How does she look? Is she scared?"

"Don't you know already? Peter, sweetie... I think you're more afraid than she is."

Five kissed her lightly and excused himself. Peter knew why... his dad always knew when he needed to talk to her... just her.

Peter sighed. "Well, yeah... She's always so strong. I hate to say this, but I kinda like it when she does break down and cry or... when she lost her pendant and I had to hold her until Leo found it." He chuckled, embarrassed. "She needed me. I know she loves me but she's been around for so long and seen so much. Why does she want me?"

"You'll ask yourself that the rest of your life, no matter how old she is. You'll love her and wonder why she loves you. And she'll do the same thing. You'll laugh off each others' wrinkles while hating your own and make love thoroughly self conscious about your own body while never minding hers, no matter how time affects her. Which, I understand, it will, after tonight. So be gentle, sweetheart. The first time can be very traumatic but it'll be that much more so with her."

"No pressure, though..." Peter whispered, adjusting his cufflinks.

She took over and straightened everything on his suit that he couldn't seem to fix. "Darling boy, I may be an old busybody and want you married off, but don't think it's because of those grandbabies. Those are a dividend. I want my boy happy most of all. I'm sorry if I ever lost sight of that because of the grandbabies, though!"

"You kinda did," he chuckled weakly.

Grandbabies. Babies. Ugh. Sam and Chelsea's was a drool factory.

"Well, I can't say I've repented of the wish. I look forward to seeing the darling little ones you and Vivian have."

Peter shivered from head to toe. It felt a lot differently from that perspective. Vivian having his children... what a mixture of longing and terror came with the idea! And at the core of it, a gentle sort of joy from picturing Vivian cooing to a child. He knew she wanted them. All he had to do was... well, his part. He wanted to be sure he was up to that... but his father had just scared him more.

"Mom... I never in my life thought I'd ask you something like this, but... Look, you know I've never been with a woman, and... Dad didn't help, really."

"You want advice?" she asked calmly.

He almost sobbed as he responded, "Please!"

She laughed gently. "Of course, sweetheart."

 

It was time.

Janelle led the way, tall and graceful. She had laughed at being the flower girl, but accepted the request because she adored Vivian, and because GG had been begging constantly for the job and no one knew how that was even possible. In the end, they walked down side by side, Janelle tossing rose petals from a basket on GGs back.

Similarly, Lil Steve had insisted that he was the perfect ring-bearer, telling anyone who would listen, "I will take the ring to Peter... though I do not know the way." It was agreed that he would ride on AJ's shoulder and assist him in his role as the actual ring bearer. To AJ's enjoyment, the rag doll turned up wearing a grey cloak and sporting a tiny sword.

But his assistance was still welcome. AJ tended to have small twitches and the occasional lapse in memory, to his mother's sorrow. It was widely accepted in the manor, though, that this was still a thoroughly remarkable recovery considering the damage he'd taken. Peter, his father, and AJ's parents did regular maintenance, trying to repair or bypass small faulty circuits, and he was steadily improving.

Bunny came next as maid of honor, almost overwhelming in pink. Overwhelmingly lovely, the guests observed. But she had chosen to keep her attire simple; this was Vivian's show. She had a suspicious sparkle in her eyes and blinked a little too rapidly; she and Vivian had become close, not in the way that Carissa had feared, but as friends, since her arrival, and Bunny had been genuinely surprised and touched at being asked to be maid of honor. She had tried to pass the hnor off to Carolina, who had done so much for them all, but couldn't pull it off. Carolina took pity on her, however; despite refusing, along with Carissa, to be part of the actual wedding party, she did help with the duties of the maid of honor. They each said they wanted to help but also wanted to sit during the ceremony.

Next came Rabbit, arm in arm with Hatchworth. Vivian had asked all of the atomatons to be in the wedding party, but The Spine had declined politely, along with Hatchet, suggesting that it was a conflict of interest.

Conflict of interest hadn't stopped Leo, however, who had been nothing short of shocked to be asked to be Peter's best man. She could just glimpse him through the opening. As she understood it, he was an excellent choice for the role. Michael Reed might once have been Peter's first choice, but things were strained between them. Peter had relaxed his demands about the relationship with Janelle not because he felt it was good but because her security was delicate and she leaned on Michael. And to be fair, he was kind and gentle, and understood the shock of losing one life and waking to another.

She realized with a shock that Chelsea had already walked out with Matt Smith. This was it. She thought she was going to faint. She closed her eyes and willed herself to be calm. A firm but gentle hand grasped hers and placed it on a strong arm.

"Thank you..." she sighed, relieved. "I was sure I was gonna faint dead away..."

She opened her eyes and looked to see not Henry Lamouelle, or even Peter V, but River, gently patting her hand and smiling.

"I sent him to sit by his lady, cheri. I'd have gotten your own Père out to walk with you, but ol' Grimm hates giving anything and you've managed to get a lot from him already. I figure I'm about the closest thing to a father you have, now."

"Thank you," she whispered. "I'd be honored to have you walk with me."

He smiled; she noticed he was keeping to a single form. It was appreciated. The guests had enough to stare at.

"I won't be able to stay," he whispered as they started forward. "Bit of a storm brewing back home. Nothing deadly, but I do want to get back and tend the flocks."

"Alright," she breathed, and almost stopped short in shock.

On the bride's side of the room were many familiar faces. Henry Lamouelle, was there with a very little old woman with a very kind smile. She assumed that was his wife. His daughter and grandson were there with their spouses as well.

But she also saw King Rainer with a tall young man and woman she recognized as the prince and princess, each accompanied. And filling the rest of the space were various courtiers, villagers she had helped over the years, and what could only be an assortment of gods and goddesses.

But most astonishing were two tall figures, side by side for one rare occasion, one wearing a large smile and a bright suit, one dressed in black and wearing a blank expression which he had long since learned was preferably to his smile. But despite the staggering differences, they wore the exact same face.

She nodded to each and tried to swallow her growing terror. She tried looking to the groom's side and was relieved to see masses of Walter workers who had become friends, as well as The Spine and Hatchet wearing unusually warm smiles and standing hand in hand, Tabytha, who winked, Steve and Carol, who had a curious glow about her (uh-oh, thought Vivian), Emmeline, Boyle, and Bloch (standing in back).

And then she turned her eyes forward. Peter. He looked so handsome, even with the mask... the suit was well cut and she had a terrible longing to see how it looked in the back. He had such a nice bottom... The thought was quickly overshadowed by nerves but she hoped the feeling would come back. She'd need it later.

River handed her gracefully to Peter, whispering, "The longest way round is the sweetest way home."** He kissed her hand and turned to join his father as the guests took their seats.

"Who was that?" Peter whispered.

"Long story," she replied.

She could never remember the vows afterward. She asked Peter, and he said he barely remembered being there at all. He did, however, remember how lovely she was.

He looked down at her now, unable to look away. It had been all he could do to look up that aisle in the first place, his mind racing with his mother's careful advice. She'd been gentle, and tactful, but had made it clear in no uncertain terms that his father had been right. Certain conditions had to be met. He rather got the feeling she had a memory fueling her insistence about this, but absolutely did not want to know more about it.

There was a time, according Vivian and very faint memories, that he had been very eager to satisfy those conditions. But right now... He was happiest standing beside her, holding her hand, both soft and callused from her work, promising to be hers alone.

At last he was told he could kiss her. She stepped in and reached around him as planned. Since she had no veil, wearing only a sparkling tiara and flowers on her long white hair, she removed his mask. He was uneasy, but he saw no other way to do this right, and wanted to do it right. The guests gasped softly as it came away and Peter leaned forward, and Vivian's face, to onlookers, seemed to be engulfed in blue light beams.

But in the center of the gleam their lips met and his heart thundered in his ears. _We belong to each other now..._

How the world had turned! He'd come to roll his eyes at love and romance, at least publicly. And now he was positively drunk with it.

She drew away, smiling, looking breathless as she returned the mask and fastened it on again. He pulled her close and held her. The guests stood and clapped.

"I love you," he whispered.

"And I love you..."

Bunny was telling everyone, in a rather shaky voice, to move through the doors into the ballroom after the procession had passed. AJ offered Janelle his arm and plopped Lil Steve onto GG's back, and the rest followed.

"I was so terrified, cher!" she whispered, trying not to look toward Grimm. She had caught his eyes briefly while turning, and seen a smirk there. Was that the only smile he could offer, or did he know something she didn't?

"I still am!" Peter murmured as they walked.

"What? Oh! Why?"

"Y'know... tonight..."

"Oh. But... why should _you_ be afraid of that?"

"Well, considering you've waited nearly 800 years for this night, I'm feeling a little unprepared to make it worth that kind of wait..."

She laughed and he sighed. "We don't have to, yet."

"You don't mind waiting longer?"

"I don't want to go to bed with you just because I'm supposed to, no! Let's wait until we both feel it."

He felt a cooling wash of relief. He'd never thought of that. Well, why not?

"Alright. I... hope it won't take long."

"Me, too. Which I suppose means that it won't."

And with that, they entered the ballroom. The various automatons had worked out a schedule to make it so that some would be playing dance music while others were dancing and having fun, then cycle out...

Peter stared at the little stage. There was already a band there.

Vivian gasped and began to laugh joyously. "It's them! Ayee, cher, we done been blessed this day!"

"What?" he gasped. He hadn't heard her speak that way since she'd come to the manor. He liked it.

"It's the Three Players!" She hurried forward to the stage and clasped hands with the one in front.

"Vivian, angel girl, your day has come," he said as Peter approached.

"Your lover has returned," said the second.

"Always comin' and goin'. Sooner or later," said the third with a wink.

Peter blushed right under his mask. Was that a double entendre?

The other players were snickering. Peter's neck burned.

"Don't rush it, children," he murmured. "A great age of man ends when you join together."

"Though end it must."

"Something great will begin with its passing."

"Will I... will I see it?" Vivian said in a choked voice. "Will I be here to see it happen?"

"What?" Peter gasped. Her put his arm around her and felt her trembling.

The first player looked at her with pity. He cupped her cheek in one gnarled little hand. "Do not fear child, to meet with glory."

"In this world."

"Or another."

To Peter's surprise, Vivian burst into tears and turned to him, burying her face in his suit. He held her and glared at them the best he could manage.

"Don't give us de skunk eye, son."

"We tell truths."

"But may not tell all."

"If you're here to play music, maybe you'd better get on with it," Peter gritted. He wondered briefly how they knew he was glaring, but he supposed it was an easy guess.

"A'ight, boy."

"We here to do that."

"All night if we gotta."

He started to lead Vivian to their table and stopped. A tall man was blocking their way.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the father's dance," announced the third player.

"What?" Peter gasped, looking up.

Vivian looked up as well.

The man grinned. "River had to get back, baby. Will Papa Nod do?"

"Nod!" she sobbed, and threw herself into his arms.

"Um... isn't that Grimm?" Peter asked.

Vivian laughed. "It's his brother. Grimm is death. Nod is sleep. You have nothing to fear from sleep."

To her surprise, Peter shifted uneasily. "Sleep, huh?"

"Peter," Nod said flatly. "Don't think I haven't noticed your habits. I'd like to think that I wasn't so objectionable as all that. But never mind; I think you'll be learning your lesson soon."

"Look, buddy..."

"Shh, now... Sleep is a wonderful thing. Some kinds are better than others. And I'm pretty sure there's nothing the matter with you that can't be remedied with a good fu..."

 _"The father's dance!"_ barked the third player, to Vivian's relief. Nod was a dear, but he did have a certain bluntness in common with his twin.

"Come on, sweetie! Let's show them how it's done!"

He swept her away. She saw Peter as Nod whirled her around. Grimm was standing beside him, still smirking.

"But Nod, I don't know how to dance!" she hissed.

"In all these years, you never learned?"

"Bunny taught me a little but I can't remember it!"

"Never saw the sun shining so bright, never saw things going so right!" sang a dulcet voice. She was surprised to see Rabbit had joined the band, as well as Matt Smith, rounding out the sound.

"Noticing the days hurrying by, when you're in love, my how they fly! Blue skies, smiling at me..."

"Stand on my feet, baby. You'll get it. They just kinda shuffle around anyway."

She did and he danced her around carefully. She couldn't imagine how it didn't hurt, until she remembered he was a demigod. After that, she rather enjoyed herself.

Until she saw Grimm's smirk once more.

"Nod..." she whispered. "I'm so afraid!"

"Oh, baby girl, why?"

"I can talk to you about it, right? About personal matters..."

"If it's about tonight..." 

"Yes! What happens when... when the contract is fulfilled?"

"You live happily ever after!" he beamed.

"Do I?"

His smile dropped. "Of course..."

"But... My long life will end!"

"Just the long part though, surely..."

They looked at each other. His expression darkened and he looked toward Grimm, who was now chatting with Peter, or rather, at him. Peter stood rigid.

"If he's pulled such a trick, gods help him..." Nod muttered, and she could feel the power radiating from him.

Halfway through the song, she saw Peter's mother collar him, nodding obliviously to Grimm, who scowled after her. She dragged him onto the dance floor and they, too, began to shuffle about. As the song ended, Nod and Annie turned and relinquished their partners, and Peter nervously took Vivian in his arms.

"I'll be loving you always," the bass player sang, with Rabbit harmonizing.

"I will," Peter murmured. Vivian rested her head against his shoulder, willing herself to enjoy this moment and not worry about tonight.

They scooted more than danced around the dance floor, and soon had the relief of seeing David and his sister coming out to dance. Peter knew David didn't have a clue either. Sam and Chelsea followed, dancing awkwardly around the baby, who squawked brightly at them both. Matt Smith danced with his sister, but AJ and Michael Reed each kept cutting in. Peter would have worried about it if he hadn't been occupied looking into Vivian's eyes. They really were remarkable...

But once the dance floor had filled enough, he hastily led Vivian to the table, where they nibbled weakly at their meals, shielded by a small curtain. Now that they had resolved to await inspiration before having their wedding night, he felt rather than relief a restlessness building. He felt very fickle but there it was. Now that he had promised to wait, he was finding a greater and greater impatience with waiting.

Then he remembered his mother's advice, and his impatience cooled abruptly.

Grimm stopped by the table to make a few more dirty jokes... He had made several while they watched the Father's dance... and then vanished before their eyes as Nod started toward him. Nod chuckled, winked, and turned back to Leo and Carolina. Peter noticed Hatchet and The Spine, who were dancing so close it almost made him feel like a voyeur to look at them. Hatchet was smiling at him.

They were making good progress with the therapy, then. The Spine, as an automaton, processed quickly and his recovery therefore was accelerated. To Peter, that meant it was just that much more painful, condensed as it was. But rapid recovery in such a powerful creature was welcome.

The two of them approached the table when the dance ended, laughing as though they were the newlyweds. 

"This is what we missed out on, taking private vows," The Spine said pleasantly.

"Love, we could just throw a party if it was that simple."

"Nothing doing. I want the whole affair."

"We've already had that," she said slyly, picking up a water glass.

They laughed brightly and Peter sighed.

"Speaking of affairs, did you happen to notice that your son is flirting with the girl who ripped his head off?" he said dryly.

"Isn't that always the way?" The Spine said, causing Hatchet to shoot water out of her nose.

"Oh, behave!" she crowed. "Look, Petah dear, our AJ is just playing. Your Janelle knows it perfectly well. Reaper children do exist, and part of their training is learning to appeal to hearts yet commit to none."

"Like you?" 

"Special circumstances. We each fell in love before becoming Reapers."

"Of course," The Spine said soberly, "he's learned his lesson about compelling others. Just... understand that."

"I'm glad to hear it," Peter said gently.

The automaton smiled sheepishly. Hatchet took his hand.

"Of course he has, darling. He's more like you every day."

"Is that a good thing?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"It's the best thing." She moved closer.

"I'd like to think he was like you..." he murmured, putting his arms around her.

"That wouldn't be good..." she breathed, tipping her face up to his.

"Nonsense," he said huskily, his lips brushing hers.

And then came a kiss that invoked the image of a thousand and one wedding nights.

"Could you do that somewhere else?" Peter groaned. He was intimidated enough about his remedial abilities in the bedroom without having to witness the honors students in action.

"Yes," Hatchet murmured breathlessly, somehow without completely removing her lips from his. "And we will."

They were gone in a whoosh of sparkling ash, but not before giving them a glimpse of The Spine groping her backside and reaching for her zipper.

"I need to wash my brain," Peter whispered. Vivian just took his hand. Hers was very cold.

Carolina walked up with Leo and Carol a few minutes later.

"Congratulations, love," Carol said brightly.

"Thank you. Having a good time?"

"Oh, tolerably enjoyable. Can't have any champagne, I'm afraid, but the sparkling cider is tasty enough."

"What? Why not?" asked Peter.

"Oh, you know," she said with a wink.

As Peter blinked in confusion, Steve slipped up behind her and put his arms around her, resting one over her abdomen.

"Did she tell you?" he asked, grinning.

"Oh!" gasped Carolina. "You're pregnant!"

"Five months gone," Carol explained. "Though I'm not quite clear on how long I carry the baby under the circumstances..."

"Oh, my!" Vivian cried. "But isn't Mr. Negrete..."

"Yes, a dragon! He explained it but my head is such a muddle..."

"It's just like any other pregnancy, honey," Steve said. "I put in a lot of detail into explaining, but that's the short version. You conceived human form, you're human, so you'll have a human baby. I can't promise it won't breathe fire of course..."

Peter stared. That brought a new dimension to child-proofing.

"It's just so silly sounding. I think I'll talk to your grandmother about it. She's far better at scientific explanations."

Steve chuckled. "She's great."

"Congratulations!" Vivian said rapturously.

"Likewise," Steve said, beaming.

"You didn't waste any time," Carolina said mischievously.

"Dragons don't. We mate for life, and I mean we _mate for life."_

"Naughty thing," Carol said pleasantly.

Peter wished they'd either shut up or go away. Was it something about weddings that made everyone except the bridal couple insufferably horny?

"Oh, Peter, love, could you contact Lynn? She wanted me to let you all know that things are quiet once more back home but she wants to come help when the baby comes, so she needs the coordinates for my house. Portals aren't really my line.  Oh, and her automatons... Well, the ones who live there... I still don't have them all straight in my mind but they were all quite fond of Bloch."

"Just Bloch?" asked Carolina.

"Well... Yes, dear. I'm afraid the other two rather rattled their nerves. But they all found Bloch to be terribly sweet."

"He is," Steve said pleasantly.

Steve and Carol moved off to another table and Carolina said, "We wanted to talk with you."

"Which of us?" asked Vivian.

"Both. We happen to have important things to tell each of you."

"Can it wait? I already feel stressed with all the dirty jokes and mingling..." Peter moaned.

"It can't," Leo assured him.

"What is it?" Vivian murmured.

"Peter," Carolina began. "For you, some advice. When the kids get here, don't hide."

"What kids?" Peter asked, looking around.

Leo roared with laughter. "Idiot," he chuckled.

"Oh... My... Our kids... I'd rather not think about kids yet..."

"Just... Be around, okay? Be yourself but don't hide in your lab."

It was creepy. He felt like she was looking right into his soul. "Alright... Anything else?"

Leo leaned over the table in front of Vivian, waving her closer. She leaned in, frowning uneasily.

"Mrs. Walter," he murmured with a slight wink. "I 'ave it on good authority zat you're worried about tonight."

"Many women have been nervous on their wedding nights..." she whispered uncomfortably.

"Leo, what's this all about?" Peter asked irritably.

"Something she did not dare to tell even ze bridegroom," Leo said. "Vivian, don't fear. This is only ze fulfillment of ze contract. I 'ave learned..." He glanced around, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I know zat you will live."

Vivian gasped sharply.

"I was told by Grimm 'imself. Zey knew what zey were doing... Ugh... Zis accent. Enough already." There was a puff of dark smoke from his mouth, and he continued, "The agreement was that you will no longer be immortal."

"Aww!" Carolina cried, dismayed. "Your sexy accent!"

"It'll be back tonight," he murmured, kissing her nose. She sighed with relief. "You will live the remaining years of your life, as it would have gone, some seventy-five years or so. You still need Blue Matter, but that's a blessing under the circumstances, eh?"

Vivian's hand was over her mouth. "Vivian... You thought... You thought you'd die if you... if we..." Peter whispered.

"I wasn't sure," she choked. "Thank you, Leo! Oh, thank you!"

"Leo..." Peter said, almost speechless.

"You're welcome."

Leo grinned at Carolina, offered her his arm, and led her out to dance. Peter hugged Vivian.

"We still wait until we're both ready, though, right?" she asked.

"Of course," he said reluctantly.

They danced a little more, if only because it was pleasant to hold each other, and Peter attempted to toss her garter, which landed in the punch. But after a few hours of not being able to handle much except the cake (the tradition of feeding it to each other seemed less than suitable under the circumstances, to Peter's relief; he knew they'd yell at him to smush it into her face) they went to change and gather their travel bags. Their other things were boxed in their rooms for the Walter workers to move in their absence; they would be taking a room in the family wing.

Vivian threw her bouquet as they left. It was made of forget-me-nots, which he was certain was a joke on Bunny's part. It wasn't easy to throw; they were all crowded into the hall outside the portal room, since they were honeymooning at Vivian's simple house in the woods, where she could move freely without her pendant. And the bouquet was caught by GG, who promptly ran away with it.

Annie embraced him. "Scared?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah... but we've decided to wait until we both feel like it, y'know."

"Oh..." she said faintly. "Well... don't forget to want to, I suppose..."

"Aw, mom..."

"Portal's ready, Peter," called David.

Peter hastily took Vivian by the hand and passed through as everyone shouted their farewells and threw in a few crude remarks.

And then they were in a beautiful meadow. The wind blew across them, and the sky was leaden.

"Oh, right..." she murmured.

"What?" he gasped, putting his arm around her.

"River said a storm was brewing. We'd better get to the house."

They jogged along the path, fortunately close enough to arrive within a few minutes, thanks to coordinates provided by Henry Lamouelle.

They hastily slammed the door shut behind them, laughing. The wind had gotten stiff and a little cold as they hurried along. But even with the fire out, her house was cozy and safe. He watched as she put down her bag. It already felt like a honeymoon cottage and his heart was pounding, but possibly that was just from the run...

They made a fire as the wind whipped around the walls outside. Peter took off his mask to sweep his hair out of his face and Vivian gasped and smiled.

"What?"

She turned him toward a small mirror and his heart skipped a beat.

"My face..." he choked.

Which was exactly what he saw. His own dorky, pale, slightly stubbly face. Vivian kissed his cheek.

"This place is soaked with magic, cher. You don't need to hide here," she said, as he touched his cheeks in wonder.

He turned and kissed her properly. "That's how it should be. You should be able to see this ugly mug when I kiss you," he whispered.

"Oh, Peter. I love your face."

She held him tightly and he wondered anew when she would tell him she was ready for that wedding night...

There was a knock on the door. They both startled.

"Should I answer it?" she murmured, her head against his shoulder.

"Is it likely to be important?"

"Always. But I did leave word that I was going away. Mind you, some of the further areas might not have gotten the news."

She slowly released him as the door thumped again, and went to peer through the shutters. "It's a child!" she cried.

"What?"

She hurried to the door. "I know her! Her mama was expecting..."

"Oops..." He fought the urge to swear. They'd been making very good progress on that no pressure mutually desired wedding night.

Vivian hastily led the child in out of the wind. The little girl began to talk immediately.

"My momma is real sick Miss Vivian and she say dat baby comin' tonight an' I run quick to get you even though she say you gone but you ain't!"

"I was gone, baby, and I will be again. Why didn't you go see Goody Merryweather, honey?"

"Mama was cryin' an' I got scared! Papa ain't home yet!"

The little girl began to cloud up even as she said it. Vivian gave her a hug and began to gather her things, to Peter's dismay.

"Well, after this you must see Goody Merryweather for any sickness, a'ight? But tonight, Miss Vivian is here for you. Now take a breath, sweetheart! You said your mama is sick? You mean she's havin' the baby?"

"I don' know!" wailed the child.

"Alright, shush now..."

Vivian looked at Peter and he smiled and nodded. "They need you," he said quietly.

"Who dat?" asked the little girl.

"That? That's my husband, baby."

Peter shivered. He liked to hear her say that. And he saw that she was smiling broadly as she gathered her things.

"You done got married?" the little girl piped.

"Yes, sweet. That's why Miss Vivian went away. You don't remember this man, I expect. But he was there when you were born."

_I was?_

They heard raindrops begin on the roof, just a smattering, before they faded.

"It's fixing to get started. We better hurry!" Vivian said, shouldering her bag. Peter opened the door.

"I'll be back as soon as I can..." she began.

"I'm coming, too."

"Cher..."

"I have before, haven't I? You just said..."

"In dreams, yes! Do you remember a thing about it?"

"Well... no. But I was there. Besides, I'd be worried sick about you, and I don't want you to have to come back in the storm alone. Please."

"Alright, cher."

When they arrived, the woman was indeed in labor. They could hear the screams as they approached. The little girl began to wail.

Vivian hugged her. "It's gonna be alright, baby. Come on, Miss Vivian needs your help. Sounds like your mama needs you bad right now."

Peter sat in the one outer room most of the time with the restless father, who had arrived soon after they did, and two little girls. He brought fresh supplies to the door from time to time, and was favored with brief but distracted congratulations from the father, but the rest of the time he endured stares from the children and watched the man restlessly whittle a stick down to a toothpick. Peter wracked his brain for any memory of the man. He had the impression that he, at least, knew Peter and had expected that someday he and Vivian would be married. From his muttered comments, it was implied that the entire village had been expecting it at some point.

 _How often did I dream about this place?_ Peter wondered.

A plaintive wail at last split the night instead of the maternal screams and Vivian came out a few minutes later, disheveled and bloodied, but beaming as she carried a tiny bundle and announced to the father that he had a son. 

The man's stoic demeanor dropped and he laughed heartily as he looked into the blanket at the wailing infant. Peter peered in as well; it seemed thoroughly unremarkable. But when the man hurried into the bedroom and kissed his weary wife as she dozed, Peter felt a strange spasm in his chest.

"Thank you, mon amour," the man murmured.

Peter peered around the doorway, eyes wide. The man expression... Peter knew how that felt. But there was more...

"Cher... I need to clean up. Can you hold him?"

He jumped. "Oh! I don't... I never... That I can remember, anyway..."

"Sit down, cher. It's just for a few minutes."

He sat and she carefully placed the baby in his arms.

"Hold his head... that's right, love. Now just stay like that."

She took a basin and held it out in the pouring rain to get water for washing. Peter looked at the baby uneasily. It was a squishy little thing... but at least it had stopped crying.

The little girls stood on either side of him and peered at the baby.

"He's so cute," said the older one.

"Baby," said the younger one.

"This... uh... this is your little brother..."

"I know," said the older girl.

"Let me see the boy. You look scared to death!" chortled the man, taking the baby smoothly from his arms.

"I haven't really held babies much..." Peter said weakly.

"Well, not in your full form. Yes, I know you was jes' dreamin' before. You held both of these two, if you can believe that... but I guess you ain't had much experience in your waking life, hm?" He laughed again. "All in good time!"

Peter blanched as the man carried his son back to his wife and got the children settled for the night. Half an hour later, the woman lay sleeping with her children around her, the father sitting and dozing in a chair nearby. The storm raged outside, and dawn was still a few hours away, so Peter and Vivian lay curled together like spoons on a blanket on the floor in the next room. The proud father had spread it out for them, then advised them to remember what they had seen and think twice about any funny business. He'd winked, and Peter had rolled his eyes before remembering that he could be seen doing it. But the man had only laughed and winked again.

"You were wonderful," Peter murmured in her ear.

She yawned. "You do what's needed. But thank the gods this one went smoothly. I think..." Yawn. "I think it's gonna be nice havin' a few babies instead of delivering them."

He wasn't so sure about that. Her breathing became soft and even; she was understandably exhausted. He was tired, too, but he couldn't sleep. The walls rattled with the wind and rain, a baby had been born in the next room, and he held Vivian in his arms. There was so much change and he felt it. He could remember being a different person here, a different Peter Walter. Here, in this world, he had traveled with her, fallen in love, desired her... and promised to marry her before having that desire fulfilled.

And he was finding that he wanted her more and more as the evening passed, despite what he had seen. She was literally the woman of his dreams. They were married. And how he desired her!

But it went deeper. This was real. This was how it was. You made love to a woman and if all went well, a child would come out of it. Well, out of her. He made a face and wished he could sleep. She was in his arms, and the longing was growing. But it had been a long and weary day. He forced himself to close his eyes and breathe slowly, and soon began to doze.

She woke him when it was barely light. "The rain is less now. We should go before it picks up again."

"Alright..."

They were the only ones awake. Vivian found a scrap of paper and wrote a note, and they hurried out into the drizzle.

As they walked, Vivian leading the way, Peter found his gaze drifting again and again to her body. He'd never been the kind of man who obsessed about sex, but this was Vivian. And her clothes clung to her shape as the light rain soaked into the fibers. 

"Vivian..."

She stopped and looked back. "What is it? Those clouds are gonna break any second, cher..."

"I feel like _I_ might break... I... Look, I'm ready. Whenever you are."

"Ready? Oh! You mean..."

"Yeah... I didn't make it very long, to be honest. Before wanting to... to be with you."

"Oh, Peter!" she laughed, hugging him. "Neither did I!"

He held her, heart thundering. They kissed as the clouds at last darkened and poured rain down upon them once more.

They were both soaking wet when they at last reached her home, rushing inside as they had the night before, laughing and shivering. She helped him out of his soaking wet shirt and hung it near the hearth as he struggled to unhook his slacks. They were not cooperating.

"They're too wet!" he cried, dismayed. "Or I am... stupid slippery hooks..."

She laughed and helped him. The hook at last gave way and the zipper followed. She looked up, laughing nervously. They stared at each other for a long moment.

"This is it..." she whispered.

"I know. Are you alright?"

"I... Of course," she lied.

She pulled her sopping blouse over her head. He helped when it got stuck on her arms, sliding the sleeves free. Her right arm got stuck at the elbow before popping suddenly loose. She lost her balance and and she found herself pressed against him. Her heart pounded.

"I am afraid," she confessed. "But cher... don't stop."

"I don't want you to be afraid..." he argued.

"Then we ain't never gonna be lovers, cher. There has to be a first time. It's gonna be a shock. But I want this. A'ight? It's time."

He kissed her. "Alright," he breathed.

The rest of their clothing soon hung by the fire. Vivian's blankets were warm and soft and smelled of herbs and pine. She was afraid but so very happy... She remembered Leo's promise and clung to it as Peter slipped into the bed and pulled her into his shaky arms, kissing and caressing her. He was gentle, nervous but sweet, and seemed to just enjoy feeling her skin, and she felt the same compulsion, just to be closer, and closer still, and to never let anything part them again. He kept asking her if everything was as she liked it. Silly, of course. She had no idea how she liked it, but nothing so far had disappointed her.

Her fear returned when she realized the moment was near. New though she was to physical passion, she couldn't mistake the growing longing in his sighs and knew that the time had come to prove Leo's words, to prove that those who had won her immortality had known enough to leave her the promise of happiness.

Trust, she thought. Trust that his promise will be fulfilled, she told herself over and over, as Peter awkwardly brought her closer than ever. 

"Vivian..." he whispered. "I can't bear it..."

"Then don't... I want this, mon cher..."

"Are you sure?" he said huskily. "I don't want to hurt you..."

She kissed him deeply in response and felt him shudder. There would be no more anticipation.

It hurt. Not a lot, but it did hurt, even with the product Tabytha had provided. And he stopped, more than once, worry showing through the otherwise ecstatic expression on his face. But she told him to continue, suddenly relaxed and unafraid. She was alive! They were there at last, and Leo's promise was true. She had the rest of her life, he regular, normal life, to spend this way. So what if this time wasn't spectacular? Everything got better with practice.

And at last they lay, calm in each others arms. Peter held her, laughed quietly for a moment, and rested his forehead against hers. She kissed him.

"Was it... Was it just me?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yes... But oh... it was lovely!" she sighed as he settled beside her with his hand across her bare stomach.

"Oh..." His eyes widened. "But... are you okay? It hurt, I could tell it hurt..."

"Shh, cher!" she laughed. "But the worst is over. That much I know."

He lay back and sighed. "I just hate that it had to hurt you. For me it was... it was amazing, and overwhelming, and I just want you to feel that, too..."

He wiped his eyes hastily.

"You sweet thing," she sighed.

"Well... maybe..." He sat up on one elbow and looked down at her. "Are you very sore?"

"Just a little. Why?"

"Oh, just that I have done a little reading," he whispered, kissing her neck and sliding his hand along her skin, "and, well, I don't want you to feel left out."

"I don't feel that way but... what are you..."

"Just... Something I read about. Let's just see..."

His hand slid along her thigh... She gasped and closed her eyes. Oh... _That_ was what he was doing... Why had he been so worried about tonight, she wondered. A little study had gone a long way.

"Ah... the book was right..." he murmured, beaming.

 

In the glade outside the hut, a shadow heard the sighs within and detached itself, scuttling away through the forest.

"Brother! I didn't realize you liked to watch!"

Grimm resumed his preferred form and glared at Nod, who was smirking at him from an errant sunbeam that had cut through the clouds.

"Typical," he muttered. "Always the golden boy. I came here to make sure Walter managed to figure out where to put it."

"So why not send a minion if you needed confirmation that the contract was fulfilled?"

"I feel less than sure of my minions lately. Too many of them would enjoy the show. I am strictly business. And why are you here?"

"To make sure you don't interfere."

"Why would I?"

"Just to be a douche. And I want nothing to interfere with their sleep, which... Ah, yes. There she goes. You underestimated him. They'll both sleep the rest of the day, now. Perfect."

They walked away, side by side, similar and yet different.

"You're so high and mighty but at least I did her the courtesy of allowing her to climax in privacy. You, it seems, are the one who likes to watch."

They began to fade away from view.

"Is it really so sacred?" came Nod's voice. "Sex is a beautiful thing. Why act like it's filthy and embarrassing?"

 _"She_ thinks it's sacred, stupid. It's a matter of respect."

"Grimm! Respect, from you? I do believe you actually care about her..."

 

"I love you."

"Hm?" Her head was fizzing...

"I love you, Vivian."

"Oh! I love you, too."

"Do you really want kids?"

"Very much. Especially since they'll be yours, cher."

"Ah. Well... I'll be glad to assist in any way I can."

She curled against him sleepily. "Then I'll be pregnant before the honeymoon is over," she giggled softly.

"You might be," he whispered, stroking her cheek.

"You don't sound worried anymore."

"I am. But... I think I can cope."

 

The clouds rolled back across the sun and the rain resumed over a small house in the woods where two lovers slept. In the distance, well down the path and away, could be heard a faint snarl and an answering giggle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr+1=1020&num=1&start=1&query=cylinder1662


	165. Two Years Later - Ninjapastry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just what the title says. Starting in two years later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ikr? NinjaPastry couldn't abandon the babies (as it were). I may not be adding much, but that's the sort of thing I say. No promises, life is a lot busier now. But I will toss in sometimes.

Mike held Janelle’s hand with such care as they rolled down the sidewalk by the beach, Mike on his skate board and Jan on her Mach 5 roller blades. The air went past them and they felt like they were on clouds as they listened to a love song that they adored, Marry Me Archie by Alvvays. The smell of the ocean floated around them which made everything seem perfect. 

In the two years after Peter and Vivian’s wedding, Mike, Jan, and Matt all got upgrades to take away their batteries (from the siblings) and the tubes coming in and out of Mike. It made them look and feel more human, more normal. Instead of blood and such, they had simple blue matter cores like everybot else. But they were just like humans in the way they needed to eat and drink and bathe and such. 

“During the summer take me sailing out on the Atlantic,” Jan sang, her curls tied back in a ponytail and her pink and white summer dress flapping in the summer wind. 

“I won’t set my sights on other seas,” Mike replied with his own singing. He locked eyes with Jan and smiled. “There is no need to panic!” 

Their singing and smiling continued as they rolled down the sidewalk, swaying with the walk way. They wove in and out of peopletraffic until they reached a bench to sit at. Mike took off his bookbag from his bare shoulders as Jan sat down and took off her roller skates, tying the laces together. They pulled out the earbuds they had in and Mike wrapped them around his phone, stuffing it into his bag. 

“This is going to be so much fun,” Jan said excitedly. “I haven’t been in the ocean since.. before I died the first time!” Someone looked at her with a confusing look when Mike laughed. Jan stood and took off her dress, a white bikini underneath that Matter Mistress Bunny had bought her. Mike was simply wearing his swim trunks. 

Mike laughed, looking at his beautiful girlfriend. He had a plan in mind, which made her even prettier to him at the moment. “I know. It’s been a pretty long time for me, too.” 

“I feel bad for the bots since they can’t play in the ocean,” she said as she handed her dress to him which he stuffed in his bag. “but we get to all the time now, especially since I’ve graduated and everything.” 

“That is true,” Mike said. Janelle grabbed his hand after he put on his bag again and grabbed his board. They walked down into the sand and towards the water, stopping to drop their stuff before they headed to the water. Mike stayed behind for a second, making Janelle turn around. 

“Go ahead, I’ll be right there,” Mike said, waving to her. She shrugged, smiled, and ran towards the water. Mike pulled something from his bag and put it into his pocket, then followed, headed over to Janelle to see her stopped before the edge of the tide. She was staring at the water. Mike put his hand on her back and smiled. 

“Watch me... it’s alright,” he said as he put his foot into the water. “It’s just a bit cold.” She looked at him, then to the water. She dipped her toe in and retreated, putting her hands onto 

Michael’s arm. He laughed and grabbed her hands to lead her in. 

Jan started to smile as they got deeper, Mike’s cheeks red. “This feels amazing,” she sighed, looking at him. She finally was able to get used to the water and started to walk around, letting go of Michael. As he stood kneedeep in the water, he watched her wander around and sit down to let the water crash into her. 

“Like it, I guess?” Mike asked. She stood and walked to him, nodding and taking his hands once more. His core started to glow bright as she smiled at him, making her blush in return. She looked away from him and at the waves, but he was not going to stand for that. 

“Jan, look at me,” he said sweetly, making her look at him with her beautiful green eyes. “I have something I’d like to ask you, if that’s okay?” She nodded. He let go of one hand, making her core stop once he reached into his shorts pocket and pulled out a little locket. It had the Walter Robotics insignia carved into it, but it was golden. It was new and shining in the sunlight. People all around stopped to watch. 

“Ya know, when you first were powered on as the old you, and you looked at me with that look of ‘where have you been all my three seconds of life, I knew something was going to come of it.” She watched his movements carefully and he held up the disc. 

“Don’t you dare,” she whispered, tears in her eyes already. He smiled and stepped back to kneel, opening the disc and showing her the ring. She covered her mouth, staring at the diamond ring. “Michael…?” 

“We’ve been together for so long, now, and I think we can stay together for even longer.” 

“Are you…” 

“Janelle Maryanne Walter?” Michael asked, smiling up at her, “Will you please be my Silver Dollar?” He watched Janelle put everything together. She hesitated at first, then nodded, letting him put the ring onto her shaking finger. He put the disc back in his pocket before she attacked him and everyone around cheered. 

“I love you, Michael!” she cried out as he picked her up and spun her around, unable to stop smiling. He set her down and kissed her so passionately it made people jealous. She pulled away and stopped smiling, looking at him strangely. 

“You did get Dad and Matt’s blessing, right? So I can for sure marry you?” she asked. Mike shook his head and laughed, making her smile. 

“We’re going to be rebels about this, make your dad mad. Matt doesn’t care. I asked him. He said he wouldn’t tell your dad and that he was okay with everything. So, yes and no to your question,” he played around, holding her close. “Now, with that over, let’s play in the water some more before we go back to the manor and tell everyone the good news.” 

“I love you so much,” she said with a smile, making him smile in return. 

“And I love you, Jingle,” he said to her before picking her up again. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck as she walked deeper into the ocean, a devilish grin on his face. He stopped and waistheight and noticed the growing fear on her face. 

“No! Nonono” she stopped screaming once he dropped her, but her arms around his neck stopped her from falling in alone. She pulled him into the water with him, taking him underneath. He surfaced just as she did, laughing. “You jerk,” she laughed. She kissed him hard and he grabbed onto her, holding her against him. 

 

Hatchet, her reaper’s dress freshly coated in blood and worn from the elements, stood tall and slender in the line of reapers in front of Grimm’s throne. Beside her was Spine, but he was a couple feet away from her, not allowed to touch her in Grimm’s presence. His usual suit and tie for reaping was clean for his shift hadn’t begun yet. 

“How dare you seek me in a time like this, Chet. I am proud of what he did. Why do you want me to harm my own servant? What’s it any different from harming you?” Grimm interrogated. Hatchet gripped her scythe with both of her hands and hid her face from Grimm with them, shutting her eyes. Pine stared at Grimm, trying to hold back his anger. But seeing his wife cry was unbearable. 

"You should be proud that your dark side can do such things to you. He's showing his strength," 

Grimm leaned in on his throne, "and your weakness!" 

"Her weakness is nothing. Her weakness doesn't have anything to do with what happened. Hawk" 

"Did what he should have." 

"Grabbing his clone and... doing that to her was not a command, Grimm." 

"He got the job done when she wasn't doing anything." 

"Possession of a reaper is not okay!" Pine yelled at Grimm. His voice echoed through the room, silencing the fight. Grimm sat back in his seat. He glared at his servant. "Hatchet does her own work very deliberately. She cares for the souls as anyone should. She is a reaper who helps save lives, not brutally end them." 

Chet sucked in a sob and shook, trying to erase what she witnessed. Tommy grabbing her and taking hold of her. Then he used her as a weapon. A weapon she never agreed to be. 

"I request a trial by spirit and a paid leave for peace of her own soul," said the husband, his hands clasping onto his axe in front of him. The doublesided blade was resting on the ground, the silver, bronze, and copper colour if the blade gleaming in the flames around the room. 

"Peace for her own soul?" Grimm asked. "Wouldn't that be the same as ripping off that clock of hers and shattering it upon the ground?" Chet gasped, opening her eyes wide with fear. Her crying stopped and she held her steam. 

"What does that do?" Pine asked. He glanced at Chet to see her face, but she was turned away from him. 

"I've done it before and I can do it again, Chet. Don't make me." The silence in the room send spiders up Spine’s back. 

"What does that do?" Pine repeated. Grimm slowly smiled. He continued to look at Hatchet, but her gaze was fixed onto a random point in space across the room. 

"Have you ever seen an old clock break on the ground?" pondered Death. Pine stared at him and gripped his axe harder. "When the gears and the coils spring out and the clock breaks?" 

Grimm leaned over again and quickly looked at Pine. "How the clock stops working?" 

"You... You don't mean..." Pine studied Chet's shaking breaths and felt himself begin to cry. "You have no right." 

"She is MINE, Pine. She sold her soul to ME. YOU ARE ALL MINE." The fire around the room blazed and rose with Grimm’s anger and shouting. "You obey MY laws and you obey MY words. I own Chet and I can do as I please. Including let Hawk take over her body and do the job the right way." 

Hawk snickered from the other side of Pine. "This would only get better if that bastard child of theirs was here, huh?" he asked, looking at Pine with a devilish grin. "What's his name? Admin Jon?" 

"You dare speak his name in my presence!" Chet screamed, slamming the butt of her scythe on the ground. Dark smoke started to surround her. She turned to look at Hawk, oil and darkness 

running down her cheeks. Pine stepped back and Hawk rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his bare chest and grinning. 

"Enough. I could get all of my servants down here, if I really need to. Settle this in a fight. 

Weapons included," Grimm said with a satanic smile. 

"Las J and Ardo will not be informed of this," Pine demanded. "This is between us four and it stays that way. I only ask that Chet gets a break, Grimm. And Hawk gets at least some form of punishment." 

"Why?" Grimm asked sincerely. "Make your point." Chet fell to her knees the same time Hawk did, Grimm taking control of them. They both shut off and fell onto their sides, scaring Pine a little. 

"Chet cares for the souls. She makes sure they are at proper rest when she takes them. If it's a murder, she kills them before the cause of death does to ensure they don't suffer. She would do the same with you, Grimm. Her care comes with her dedication to her work. She took this job for her sister, and if that doesn't say anything, I don't know what does." 

Grimm sat silent for a few minutes, then nodded. "I understand. She leaves for a week to rest. But if this happens again, I won't do anything about it. What should I punish Hawk with?" 

"Give him a human body and put him somewhere he will feel insignificant. An infant or a small dog with no teeth. Something. Anything." 

"I will do what I can. You may take Chet home and rest with her. I have others who can do your work for the night." 

Pine sighed and walked to Chet, picking her up bridal style. He left the axe and scythe to the spirits to take care of as smoke surrounded them. Within seconds they were back in the manor in their upstairs suite. It didn’t seem like she would be waking for a while. He set her down in the hammock and began to undress her from her reapers dress. 

“Oh, ‘ello dad.” Spine turned around to see AJ walking into their half of the upstairs “apartments”. 

“AJ, what are you doing today?” Spine asked from his bedroom. 

“Sleepin’ arrand, ye know. Stuff.” 

“Are you bothering anyone?” 

“I yelled a’ Rabbi’ earlier. Does tha’ caunt?” Spine huffed at him, then shook his head. “Um, does pissin’ in the lawn caunt?” 

“You’re going to need to find something productive to do, boy, or ye’ll need to work more in the Nether.” 

“I don’ like bein’ a reapar.” There was a slam of a door, but then more of his footsteps. 

“That doesn’t matter. Ye ‘have tah.” 

“Okay, mister lepreleprr… leprechaun.” 

Spine hesitated on a reply, having to hold back his thoughts about AJ’s disabilities to speak. It was getting better with every upgrade he got and every rewiring Peter Five and Six tried. The Jon helped out as much as he could, coming once every other month to make sure his nephew was doing okay. 

AJ walked into the bedroom and looked at Spine, then to Hatchet. Spine put away her nasty dress and pulled out a silk night dress, walking past AJ on the way to put it on her. AJ leaned against the doorway and watched him take gentle care of her, being sure not to wake her. 

“What happened to mum?” Spine rested Hatchet’s head down after he finished dressing her and turned to AJ. He noticed AJ’s eye twitching, which made him sad. Sadder than he should have been. 

“Tommy got a hold of her and made her do bad things.” AJ swallowed at his dad’s words. “She needs rest.” 

“Did he make her… do…” 

“No, thankfully. Just dangerously take souls over spans of many years. He shouldn’t have done that and Grimm isn’t giving a just punishment, from what I know.” 

It wasn’t unusual for Grimm to do that. Earlier that year, AJ had gone AWOL (for school) and Grimm didn’t punish him at all, but when a different reaper went AWOL, he was given to the souls of the damned to be feasted upon. Grimm played favourites in the Nether. With AJ’s growing abilities, Grimm now prized him. He thought that he could be bendable. He thought that because he was so young that he could bend him to be like T0mmy, not Hatchet. it was much different before. 

Spine sat down in his chair at his desk in the far corner of the room, taking off his hat and resting it on the desk. “Son, don’t let Grimm play tricks on you. Do what we tell you.” AJ simply 

nodded, then walked out and shut the door behind him, leaving Spine to listen to the faint breathing noises coming from his wife and the humming of the machines around him. 

If only they were a normal family. Spencer and his wife Haddie, their son Adam Jon, and maybe a pet or two living in a little beach house in San Diego. Spencer Walter works for a branding company and does the website work and heavy lifting, Haddie is a writer and a very sweet housewife, and AJ is a rambunctious teenager with a nervous system disorder who loves to skate and rap with his friends at school. 

But, no. They were a little family of robots powered by death and spirits. They were singers, reapers, and jerks. They were dark and brooding and the only house work was cleaning up blood. Spine turned to the computer sitting on his desk and rested his face in his hands. He stood, walked to Hatchet, stripped, and laid with her. He even was kind enough to make sure she was comfortable once she turned over and slept on his side while he rested on his back. 

She seemed relaxed while she rested on him, making him relax a little. Slowly he slipped into stasis, dreaming of that better life. Robots usually don’t dream, but the ones who aren’t robots in all technicality do. They are constantly awake. no matter what their minds are working, unless they’re dead. 

 

“Honey?” a kind voice called from the bottom of the stairs. “Where did you put his bag?” 

“AJ’s? In the living room on the couch, love,” another replied. 

“Thank you!” she shouted back, leaving the staircase and waking into the living room, picking up the teen’s book bag. The said teen stumbled in, tripping on his shoelaces and pushing his long, bouncy, black curls from his slender face. His pale skin was dotted with light tan freckles and a couple of scars on his cheeks and jaw from years of falling and cutting his face open. There was a larger scar on one side of his head that was busted up and had stitches marks left in it. 

His light green eyes locked with his mother’s teal and silver eyes, her own deep red and long hair pulled into a bun at the back of her head. She also has many freckles, way more than her son and they are much darker. She looked to her son’s red and white tank top and torn up jean shorts, then to his untied black Converse with silver duct tape on one of the tips of the shoe. 

“Yes, mum, I got it.. it.. um.. it all ddone,” he answered. She glared at him, then nodded. 

“I believe you, but show me anyways. What are you up to?” she asked, crossing her arms over her black tank top and white and grey hoodiejacket. She pressed her silver and black maxi skirt against the back of the couch as the boy dug through his things. 

“I was going to go boarding withwith Jjj… um… Jjingle and her boyfriend, Mike. Jon might go with us.” 

“Your uncle Jon or that boy from the playhouse you go to?” 

“Uncle Jon.” He pulled out a binder and handed it to his mother, letting her look though it. A man come down the stairs and stepped up behind the woman, kissing her on the head and looking to the boy. 

“Haddie, I’m off to work. Bunny, Hence, and Steve need me. We’re heading out to L.A. for the week.” 

“Do you have everything, Spence?” she asked, looking back at him. He nodded and she smiled, kissing him on the lips before he walked to AJ and patted his shoulder. 

“See you guys in a week! Love you!” 

“Llove you too, dad!” AJ said, waving at him as he walked out the front door with a smile and wave. 

“Spine!” Haddie suddenly screamed, dropping everything. AJ gasped, taking a step back as she started to panic. “Spine!” 

 

“Spine!” Hatchet cried, shaking him to wake up. He opened his eyes and sat up, making the hammock swing. He looked around and then to Hatchet who was crying. He let out a sigh and wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry into him. 

“Baby, I’m so sorry. Everything’ll be okay, I promise,” Spine said, calming her cries. She relaxed into him after a while and he pulled her off of him to look at her, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. 

“Hatchet, my love,” he sighed. “Please do not cry any longer. You are safe with me.” 

“I was watching it all happen!” she mumbled with a trembling lip. “He was horrible! Using my scythe, my reputation, everything...” 

“I know, love. I talked to Grimm about punishing him and what he could do, and he gave you a leave until you’re better,” Spine said, “and I will be there for you until my next shift begins.” 

“When is that?” 

“Tomorrow morning. I have to practice with Rabbit and Hatchy tomorrow evening, so I’d like to have some time with you in between then. otherwise, you’ll have to find something to do, like make sure AJ doesn’t get into any trouble. He told me today that he doesn’t want to be a reaper, but then he called me a leprechaun because my accent came around.” Hatchet laughed past her drying tears, making Spine smile. 

“I’ll spend some time with him, showing him around the manor and telling him the history. I don’t think anyone’s told him that stuff before.” 

“Perfect.” Spine smiled at his beautiful wife and left the hammock. he dug through the closet until he found a clean, red and black dress for Hatchet to wear. “Let’s go get some water and see what the other bots are up to. I think Jon wanted to play some games with you, but I can’t remember for sure. Old programming can do that to a bot like me.” 

Spine took the dress down from the hanger and handed it back to Hatchet, then kept looking for something casual for him to wear. 

“Spine?” he heard a smaller voice ask. He turned around, seeing Hatchet slumped over, eyes distant. “Do you love me?” 

He turned his whole body to her, clutching a pair of black jeans. He felt hurt by the question, but after what she had been through and what Grimm makes them do (and not do), he wasn’t particularly surprised about the question. Dropping the jeans, he walked to her and grabbed the sides of her face. He kissed her lightly on the forehead, making sure she locked eyes with him. 

“I didn’t dedicate my life to pestering the Peters’ to release you for 100 years for nothing, Hatchet.” She smiled weakly at him and stood, wrapping her arms around him. “Of course I love you.” 

There was a knock on the door, startling the two. Hatchet quickly put on her dress and Spine his pants, the door slowly opening. A very outofbreath android stood there, looking at the two. 

“Your kid is about to get someone into lots of trouble with the fuzz," Matt huffed. Hatchet rose an eyebrow. Spine grabbed his fedora and put it on, disappearing from Matt’s view. 

“You might want to move,” Hatchet sighed, Matt jumping back into the hallway. 

 

Time passed from the early hours on, the manor above as soon as Mike and Jingle arrived home. Matt waited outside with Bunny for them and once they saw them skating back to the front way, the instantly stood. 

“Do you see it?” Matt asked. Bunny shook her head. Matt gasped and shook Bunny. “I see it! That f*cker actually did it!” 

“Matty!” Jan shouted, taking off her skates. She ran up to the front door and screamed, showing Matt her ring. He laughed and hugged his little sister, swinging her around and jumping around with her. Michael walked up and chuckled, Bunny handing him a wedding band to put on. 

“Dad still doesn’t know, and we should probably keep it hidden from him.” 

“Keep what from whom?” AJ asked, peering out into the sunlight. Jan shrieked and showed her cousin the ring excitedly, still excited. Mike hugged her from behind and made her laugh. AJ raised his eyebrows and looked at Bunny, then Matt. 

“Admin, don’t you dare,” Bunny said, glaring at him. He grinned and put his hood on, disappearing from everyone’s sight. Bunny sighed and stormed into the manor, Matt, Jan and Mike following close behind. 

“Where could he have gone?” Matt asked Bunny. 

“To go tell Peter.” 

“Sh!t,” Mike huffed. He turned to Jan and took her hand. “Let’s get changed and take Matt with us to Ruby’s or something,” he said, Matt nodding. 

“Go get Spine Matt. I don’t think anyone else can get him quicker,” Bunny said before they cleared out. 

The three ran to the stairwell as Bunny ran down halls to find Peter’s occupied office. he could be in any of them so she had to check all of them. Thankfully he was in one of the ground level offices, so she popped her head in and saw him staring down at blueprints and some wiring boards, probably from Janelle’s old build or maybe even Matt’s. 

“Oh, Peter. I found you,” she sighed. “Finally.” 

Peter looked up at her and smiled behind his mask, silently waving her in. She sat down in front of the desk and peered over, seeing the blueprints of Matt and Janelle. He was taking notes on each build and wiring, comparing them to Spine and Hatchet’s, Jon’s, and UpGrade’s, and then underneath all of the madness, she saw AJ’s. 

“I’m studying, Miss Bennett. What do you need?” Peter asked, writing something on the notepad. 

“I was just checking up on things. Making sure no one was getting into any trouble.” 

“Sounds like you’re trying to prevent that from happening?” 

“Kinda.” Everyone knew Peter still was not on good terms with Michael and Janelle, seeing as Mike was a bit creepy with her at the beginning. It didn’t help that Michael was mad at Peter still from everything that had happened during the chaos and what he did to Janelle because of what Grimm did to him. It was a lot of anger hidden behind smiles. However, everyone could see through the smiles. Everyone knew that Michael had a grudge against Six, but then again, who didn’t in one way or another? 

“How are you and Carrisa doing, Miss Bennett?” Six asked in his workmode voice. 

“Good! We’re alright. She’s been very sweet to me and I to her. A fair relationship. And you and Vivian?” 

“Very nice. We’re doing very well.” He scribbled something down and marked on Hatchet’s rather bare blueprint notes. “She’s out back with UpGrade, putting flowers from the garden on the graves.” He turned over Hatchet’s blueprint and wrote something, then set it aside and set 

Spine and Jon’s in front of him and started to write on his notepad. 

“What are you doing?” Bunny asked, leaning over to see what he was writing. 

“Trying to cross over the details of certain concepts of the robot’s designs to see if their mainframes are any different from AJ’s and how I can fix it. He seems to have more designs from Jon, Spine, and Hatchet combined, but I want to backup my research with a separate mainframe with different robot mainframes and coding. Just in case.” 

“Are you going to build the separate mainframes?” 

“Seems I’ll have to. I’ll need some of the old parts in the vaults from Hatchworth and Hatchet, if you don’t mind sending someone to get them for me.” Bunny stood from her seat and nodded, seeing Hatchet’s blueprint. 

Nothing too scary about her was written on there other than there wasn’t much information about her new systems. The one sentence Bunny could make out on the paper was “watch carefully for old tech//new tech unknown.” 

“Oh, Peter,” Bunny said before she turned to leave, “Hatchet's new tech is unknown for a reason. So scientists can’t dissect her. And if AJ comes in here, don’t listen to him. He’s just glitching out. Rabbit gave him something and I’ll have to clean him out.” And then she was gone to do her assigned work, leaving Peter there to deliberate on what information was handed to him. 

He looked around his papers and jumped, seeing AJ suddenly appear with pain on his face. He looked like he was being pulled back. Spine tipped up his fedora, nodded at Peter, and then the two of them disappeared.


	166. And Some More News... - Whistler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just throwing in more updates from my direction.

Vivian laid a handful of irises on a grave.

"Irises for Iris. Very fitting."

"Are they?"

"Well, since her name was Iris..."

"I think we should give her thistles."

"What?"

"And starflowers for Peter IV," Upgrade said quickly. "Also fitting."

Vivian looked at her sidelong. She'd heard tales about Iris, and thought she understood the hasty remark. But as for the starflowers... she wasn't so sure that they were fitting. She'd been told Peter IV had been lost outside of the Earth's atmosphere but she had a hard time with it. On the one hand, she was from another world herself. She knew there were more things beyond this world than anyone knew. For all they could tell, he'd just gone somewhere else, run into someone unexpected out there... She had seen gods, demons, immortal beings capable of traveling in an instant. Anything was possible.

On the other hand, she'd lived her life in a very simple, ordinary way and the idea of humans being able to create a space craft and pilot it outside of the very air... somehow she just couldn't believe it! And they'd shown her films of it, too.

"And this one... I understand she was his mother," Vivian murmured, a little catch in her voice. Mary Walter. She placed a small bundle of roses there.

Upgrade sighed. "I know what you're thinking. They all think I'm a nut but I know what's in your head now. I'm sorry..."

"Why, child..." Vivian murmured as Upgrade gave her a careful hug. "What's this all about?"

"You can be my mother..." Upgrade said quietly. "I always feel older than everyone but you're old enough to be a mother for all of us."

"Oh, sweetheart..." Vivian choked.

She broke down at last. Upgrade held her securely while she cried.

It had been two years of waiting. She was ashamed of being so impatient after her 800 years of life, but now, she thought, now she at last was done, and her life would begin. She had been so sure as Peter had held her in his arms, still trembling from their first time together in bed, that it would happen right away, that they would be parents within the year.

And here it was, two years later, and she was still just Vivian. Vivian the _young_ woman, Vivian who was physically twenty years old instead of an eternal eighteen, Vivian who was married to a man she adored and who cherished her in his distracted way.

But that man had work, and responsibilities. She had plenty to do herself, having become, as Upgrade had said, a mother to a whole household since Annie and Five had set off again traveling. But she would have liked at least one more responsibility. She would weep for joy at the morning sickness, note every little kick and wiggle, relish the back pain, the sleepless nights... She'd had time to understand what it all meant and she was ready.

And she still wasn't pregnant.

"Go ahead and cry, sweetie," Upgrade sighed. "You're not too old for that. All humans need to cry sometimes."

"I... I can't... I said I'd... I'd watch the baby this afternoon..."

She cried harder at this, and Upgrade rubbed her back and murmured soothingly. It had been a joy, watching Tommy Luke... in the beginning. Now it hurt so much... he was bigger and busier but when she picked him up and held his soft little form in her arms, and thought that she might never hold a child of her own...

"I'm so selfish!" she wailed at last. "It shouldn't matter..."

"But it does, for you humans. We robots can just make babies out of parts and pieces. Jon made one out of an old glass lampshade. I told him we'll have to get her a new head before she breaks it. Of course, he never actually gave her any insides so she's just a statue but she's a work in progress..."

Vivian laughed. She couldn't help it. It was just something about Jon and Upgrade... And she'd seen their "daughter." It was really a very pretty doll, and didn't look at all like it was made of scraps... though sometimes she could swear it was watching her.

Upgrade beamed. "You're getting happy now! See, all that crying worked! I knew it would. I saw that Inside Out movie..."

"Saw what?" Vivian giggled, wiping her eyes.

"Where? Say... why are you crying?"

"Never mind." Upgrade's moments of clarity were fleeting, and it seemed that this one had passed. It was all there inside but not so easy to locate.

"Let's go inside! Jonny was gonna tell you all about our daughter!"

Vivian heaved a shuddering sigh, smiled, and started walking toward the Manor. She felt a bit better. She hadn't broken down about it once since the waiting began and already felt a bit embarrassed at her emotional reaction. It wasn't like her... she endured, she had always endured. She supposed it had just been building for too long. It had to break sometime.

Upgrade followed behind, her sensors scanning the human in front of her. She couldn't remember why.

"Oh, look," she said pleasantly.

"At what?" Vivian asked over her shoulder.

"I don't know!" Upgrade told her brightly.

"Alright, honey," Vivian responded patiently.

Upgrade smiled. She couldn't remember why she was doing that either.

 

Vivian met Steve Negrete on her way to watch Tommy. He grinned and swept her up in a hug.

"Kazoolanders reunion!" he cried. "Hey... you feeling alright?"

"Oh, I suppose the outside air must have troubled me..." she said hastily, wiping her eyes.

"Uh-huh," he said quietly.

"How's the little one?" she asked.

Steve's mouth worked silently for a moment. "Oh... just fine..."

"It's alright to talk about him," she said softly. "Please don't try to spare my feelings. It only makes it harder."

He smiled, embarrassed, and kissed her hand. "How can I, though, when you look like that? You're gonna make _me_ cry."

She laughed and he shook his head.

"Seriously! I feel like a jerk talking about him in front of you."

"Even when I _want_ to hear about him?"

"Well, yeah. I feel like you're torturing yourself and I'm handing you the hot iron."

What had he done in his past, she wondered. "Alright, honey. Just tell me how he's doing right quick. I have to go watch Tommy."

He cocked his head to one side. "I guess there's no stopping you."

"I love children, Steve. It may hurt not to have my own but it would hurt more not to have any around at all."

He smiled. "I hope it changes for you, baby. If anyone deserves to have her own kid, it's you."

"Thank you," she said, trying not to cry.

"Well... come on, I'll walk you there. So... he's getting pretty big. Still humanform but he does breathe fire. That's a little awkward when she takes him out in the pram... I had to make a special one that's flame retardant..."

They were laughing heartily by the time they reached the newly redecorated playroom.

 

"She'll be here soon," Chelsea murmured to the plump, squirming toddler. "Yes, you love Auntie Vivian don't you?"

"Gog!" the baby cried, pointing at a plush dalmatian.

"Dog! Good boy!" cried Sam.

Tommy had a plethora of plush animals. Everyone knew that Sam liked animals and all had the same idea when the little boy's birthday arrived. There were three chihuahuas alone.

"I should have known that would be his first word," Chelsea laughed, kissing his little cheek. The baby squealed.

"Save some for daddy, little man," Sam said with a grin.

They'd gotten off to the roughest of starts, but you wouldn't know it. Sam leaned over and reached for the little boy, who plopped onto his hands and squawked joyously as he was tossed into the air. Chelsea beamed at them both.

Vivian came in with Steve, laughing. Chelsea was relieved... Vivian's infertility had become a very awkward thing lately, but she understood why she insisted on watching Tommy. She couldn't bear to tell her no because of it.

Vivian scooped up the tiny boy, who automatically hugged her. Chelsea looked away from the sparkling of tears in Vivian's eyes. Maybe they were from the laughter...

"Should we keep letting her do that?" Sam asked as they headed toward the labs to start work. "I mean, she must feel awful about it..."

"Yeah. We should. It's all she's got."

"Ugh. Sometimes I wonder if Peter did her a favor, taking her away from her work like that."

Chelsea laughed in disbelief. "Seriously? Like he could take her anywhere! She came looking for _him!_ _She_ wanted this, Sam!"

"Well, yeah, but still... to have nothing to do but watch babies and try to get pregnant..."

"It doesn't sound so bad. Maybe not for a whole lifetime, but it's got its good points."

Sam grinned and kissed her before turning down a separate corridor.

 

Vivian lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling. She was wearing a simple nightgown... the sexy ones seemed ridiculous right now. Like bait for a fish she would never catch. It was stupid; she enjoyed making love to Peter. It didn't need to be all about conception. But lately it had been. It was... not so much fun that way.

Peter slipped into bed beside her. Nod had been right; Peter had some late nights working, but since he had someone to share his bed, he had changed his habits dramatically.

He slipped off his mask and kissed her softly. "Goodnight, darling," he murmured as he fastened it back on, and curled on his side.

Vivian blinked. "You're... very tired..."

"Pretty tired... Not so tired that I couldn't stay up a little later, but of course that won't be happening tonight."

"It won't?"

"Well, not with you on your period," he said, twisting back to look at her. "I can't very well make love to you then, can I?"

She stared at him.

"Aren't you?" he asked, sitting up a little. "I had thought... it's every twenty-six days for you, isn't it? That makes it four days in, since you run about five to six..."

"Yes, that's right..." she said quietly. Swallowing hard, she added, "I... I guess I just hadn't realized you kept such a close watch on the dates yourself..."

He seemed to relax but she thought she heard a note of disappointment as he said, "Oh... Well, naturally I keep track. It's kind of important to me... I don't want to bother you if you're not up to it but if you are, well..." He chuckled. "For a minute I thought you were surprised because you missed it."

There was a heavy silence. Vivian tried to stay calm but her chin trembled. She put her hand to her mouth.

"Oh! Oh, Vivian," he sighed, pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry..."

She clung to him and started to cry. She tried not to talk about it usually, figuring that he didn't need to hear her go on and on. He was content just to be with her, she knew, and wasn't as troubled by the lack of children.

But she needed this comfort! She shouldn't have held back when she needed just to be held. It hurt so much!

"I'm so sorry... I knew you were hurting but I thought maybe... I don't know what I thought," he whispered. "Don't hold back, okay? You can talk to me about anything, you know that, right?"

She nodded and he gave her a squeeze.

They stayed that way until his breathing became even and she knew he was asleep despite not being able to see his face. She gently slipped from the bed and went to her dresser. In the top drawer was a small cardboard box. She took it and went into the bathroom.

Four days. She had missed her period by four days. She couldn't bring herself to hope, to give Peter hope, even if he wasn't as eager as she was. She knew that if she did manage to get pregnant, he would be over the moon, no matter how it frightened him.

The test had been in her drawer for a year, the second in packet of two, but she noted the little printed date Bunny had mentioned. It was still good. At least, as good as ever. She still wasn't sure whether she believed that the things could detect pregnancy. At least she had taken one before and knew how to do it. Bunny had helped her then, refusing to explain how she knew so much about them. Vivian had a feeling that some of the Walter girls had been in tough spots in the past...

She went through the steps wearily, doused the wand and popped the lid on, placing it on the sink. By the time she had her clothing in order, the test had begun to yield results. One blue line...

She realized she wasn't breathing as she watched the progress. She gulped air as the answer came at last.

Two.

She burst into silent tears, alone in the bathroom, staring at the test. She wanted to believe it so desperately but she just couldn't! How could some little plastic stick tell her that her dreams were all coming true?

She hid the box deep in the garbage and the test she tucked in her top drawer once more. It wasn't very sanitary but she couldn't bring herself to throw it away.

She put on her robe and went for a walk in the butterfly room to calm her nerves before returning to bed. Even then, it took her a long time to fall asleep.

"Vivian!"

"Hm?"

She was back home... but Peter wasn't there. She was outside. A familiar voice called to her.

"Vivian, cher! I got news!"

"Little Spirit! Where you been while I was gone?"

"All over, baby! Say, dat's mah news! I done heard tell you 'us gonna have a baby!"

She looked darkly at the floating light. "Peter done told you?"

"Naw, cher! River done tole me!"

She gasped.

"Dat's right! He tole me to tell you not to doubt no more. You finally got yo wish! You gonna have a little stranger!"

"Don't..." she whispered. "I can't believe it! River's de god of dreams, not babies!

"Oh, that! He was talkin' to some lady when he called me. Said her name was Artemis, goddess of childbirth, but he kep' callin' her Diana. Seems she knows you on account of she's also de goddess of..."

"Virginity," she finished, eyes wide.

"Yep. Bet she kep' an eye on you, cher!"

"Don't be crude..." she said without force.

This was different. Peter's world had its tests and science, but this was hers. And if Artemis had at last allowed her to pass into motherhood, it must be so!

She clapped her hands to her face. "It's true!" she sobbed.

"Now don't carry on, cher! What you say all de time? Women done have babies every day!"

"I know!" she choked. "But I don't!"

Little Spirit laughed. "Well, now you _do."_

It was too much. Vivian woke up.

Peter was holding her already, cradling her against his chest. His mask was off and he was stroking her cheek and murmuring.

"Shhh... Vivian, sweetheart... poor baby, crying even in your sleep!"

"Oh, Peter!" she cried, throwing her arms around him.

"That bad?" he whispered.

"No! No... Peter, I'm gonna have a baby!"

He chuckled. "You're still asleep..."

"No, Peter! I missed my period! I was afraid to hope but I just... I took that test and it's positive!"

It was sinking in at last. She laughed and cried all at once. Peter was sitting with his arms around her, his vacant blue face pointed at nothing in particular.

"Um..." was all he said.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He was trembling. Her head was close to his chest. She could hear his heart pounding.

"Are you sure?" he gasped.

She wriggled free of his arms and fetched the test from her dresser. He sat and held it, face tilted toward it.

"These lines really glow in this light..." he said faintly.

"Peter?"

He seemed to wake suddenly and turned toward her. She wished she could see his face. It almost seemed as if he wasn't happy. He put down the test as he rose from the bed, then swept her up in his arms.

"I'd given up!" he cried. "This is great! Wait'll mom hears... in fact, let her wait. Let's just keep this to ourselves for a while!"

"Do you think we can?"

"We can try! But I think the grin on your face might give the whole thing away... Oh, you need to see a doctor!"

"Why?" She wasn't sick.

"For a check-up! It's what mothers do here..."

She wanted to object, but all she could think was that he had referred to her as a mother. She started crying yet again, but it made sense now. Pregnant women were often emotional.


	167. Some Secrets - NinjaPastry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going through Google docs now, and it seems to want to throw a few more spaces into NinjaPastry's pieces. I don't figure anyone will have trouble with that, though.

“...goodness,” Peter whispered to himself as he walked into his office. He tossed his jacket over the back of his chair and stood over the side of the desk, shuffling around papers and cleaning up some crumpled pieces. He spilled them into the trash and turned to the door, seeing Carolina speed past. She ducked back, then stood in the office. She was breathing heavily.

 

“Peter, thank god I found you,” she huffed. “I’m trying to find Leo, and I can’t find him anywhere. He wasn’t in bed this morning and he’s not answering my calls and no one else can find him-”

 

“Carolina!” Peter said, grabbing her attention. He realized she was crying. Her face was blue and her eyes were puffy, but she seemed to be… no… “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing’s wrong,” she cried out, walking into the office. He sat down just as she did and he moved some papers. She put her hands into her pockets and pulled out a wadded up piece of paper and some coins, dropping them onto the desk.

 

“35 cents and some trash?” Peter asked. She sniffled and wiped her face off, taking the coins back. Peter looked at the paper and she sighed, shaking. Carefully, he took the paper. He looked it over as he uncrumpled it, then looked at her.

 

“I have to stop my Matter Mistress training and take a leave and ask about the side effects and… I can’t find Leo anywhere!” she started to cry again. She put her face into her hands and bent over, Peter staring at the paper. He glanced at her ring, remembering the little ceremony. It was secluded, like Spine’s, but there were some guests. He and Vivian were among them.

 

“Mrs. Kinglser, please relax. I’ll get someone to find the colonel for you, okay?” She nodded, looking at him, but covering her mouth. Staring at that wooden mask gave her the disadvantage of reading his face, but she knew he meant it, and that he cared. Or maybe he understood.

 

“I will tell Ms. Bennett about your leave from her program and report to my father of your… condition. Leonardo will be the first to know, of course other than myself.” Carolina shook a bit, then nodded. She removed her hands from her face, but kept them folded in her lap. Peter could tell she was playing with her ring.

 

“Mrs. Kinglser,” Peter said in a kind voice, “If you’d like someone to talk with, you may want to talk to Vivian. Babies can be exciting. She would… kinda know.” Carolina’s eyes widened and she slowly smiled.

 

“There’s going to be a Seven?!”

 

“Or maybe it’s a girl, shhh shh! We don’t want people knowing. I feel like we can trust each other with some things,” he said with a smile as he folded her test back up and slid it to her. She relaxed a little, giving him a smile. “Congrats, Carolina.”

 

“To you, too,” she sighed. “I guess I can just ask Chelsa about how to run about the manor with a baby and blue matter poisoning.”

 

“Yeah,” Peter agreed, opening his laptop. “I feel like she’s know a thing or two about it.” Carolina giggled as Peter started to type his email to The Spine.  “We will get Leo back to you. Maybe he and his powers can tell what gender our children will be, huh?”

 

“That’d be nice, actually. I was mostly upset because there’s a Kinglser Curse that runs in the boy bloodline,” she explained, taking the paper back and putting it into her dress’ pocket. Peter tilted his head. “Um, Leo explained it to me a few years ago. Simply there’s an ancient curse given to his great-great grandpa during the first world war from a voodoo witch or whatever who cursed the family to die in wars for the rest of the line.”

 

“Has that held through?”

 

“Alright. James 1, his great-great grandpa, died in training for Korea, James the Second, his great-grandpa, died in training for Lebanon,Leo the First, his grandpa, in Somali, his dad, Leo the Second, in Afghan-Iraq, and 3… My Leo, almost during his training for Afghan-Iraq. It’s bad. Thankfully Leo survived the last time, but maybe ours has to be born first, ya know? Seemed to end up that way.”

 

Peter stopped typing, then looked to Carolina. “Yeah. I understand your fear, now.” For knowing Leo all those years, Peter had no idea it was a family thing. Hopefully there wasn’t one through his. He swallowed and continued to type.

 

“Alright, Mrs. Kinglser,” he sighed, hitting the send button. “You are free to roam the manor. If you’d like, go find Vivian and talk to her. If you can’t find her, read some stories. I think our library has some good tall tales you’d like.”

 

“Thank you, Peter,” she said, standing with a smile. She dug into a pocket and placed a nickel on the desk. With a grin, she raised her chin and turned. “Keep the change.” Peter laughed and she left, smiling and feeling much better.

 

Peter returned to his notes, closing his laptop. AJ’s blueprints had writings all over them and it was cluttering everything. Peter pulled out a new print from a drawer behind him and began writing on it, taking the important things from one and putting them on another.

 

“Peter,” a bellowing voice said from the door. He looked up to see The Spine looking around, then to him. The Spine tried to smile, but had to stop halfway once he saw his son’s blueprints. “Peter, I’d like to talk to you.”

 

“Is it about Leo?”

 

“No, Leo’s on his way back. He was picking fights with his spirit friends in the nether. I have a different topic to discuss.”

 

“Seems like I’m getting all of the down-to-earth talks this morning. It’s not even 10.” Spine nodded, walking in and sitting at the desk. Peter continued his work, however, for he needed to get something done today, at least.

 

“Peter, you’re probably not the one to talk about this with, but I would like to break from the family.” Peter set down his pen, let out a troubled sigh, and leaned back in his chair. Spine pressed his lips together and Peter put his hands on the desk.

 

“Why? The Spine?”

 

“I don’t feel as if I’m really that connected to my siblings any longer. Like Hatchet, I’ve broken apart from them.” Peter waited. “I’ll be a Walter Automaton still, but a Squared; no Water Squares. We are happy. We’ve discussed it. AJ likes the idea of it, too.”

 

“How is the boy?”

 

“His stuttering is drawing again, but his motions are smoother.” Spine ran his fingers through his hair and looked to Peter with black eyes, yet the bot had no idea what colour they were. Peter tensed. “Is it alright, Peter? If we separate? I feel like I’m breaking up with you, haha.”

 

“The Spine, I respect you more than you’d know as an individual, and if your family would like to separate, I am more than okay with… with that?” Peter only asked at the end for he saw Spine suddenly fade away. There was a pause before he reappeared, covered in dirt and blood. Peter jumped back in his chair, clutching his seat and gasping. Spine shook his head and fixed his hair before looking at Peter and smiling. He set a giant battle axe against the desk and Peter glanced at it.

 

“Sorry, just came back from some heavy battle. What was your answer?”

 

“It’s a clear,” Peter said straightforward, holding his breath. Spine nodded, stood, and grabbed his axe. 

 

“Thank you, Peter,” Spine said sweetly as he left the office. Peter stared at the doorway and let out a shaking sigh that was almost a cry of fear, or maybe a scream. Spine looked like what nightmares were made of.

 

-

 

Everyone knew they were friends, but maybe more than that. But, no, of course not! They were both Walters! Well, not really anymore, thanks to Peter 6 and Spine’s discussion. The amount they cuddled, or "chilled out", and slept in the same bed together, or "spent the night" with each other, they might as well have been dating. But they didn't say they were.

 

In fact, they shared clothes just as much as Michael and Janelle did, and it was rare to see Jan not wearing something of Mike’s and vise versa. AJ grabbed Matt’s shirt off the floor as he sat up in bed, pulling it over his bare chest. He looked to his snoring friend and smirked, laying back down and wrapping his arm around him, waking him.

 

“Oh, mornin,” Matt mumbled. AJ sighed into him and rested his face against Matt’s chest, making the other smile. “You’re stupid.”

 

“And yer fat,” AJ replied. He looked up at Matt and Matt pushed his face away, sitting up. AJ sat up, pushed Matt right back, and got out of bed. He walked to the door but stopped to see Jan standing there with a coffee cup in her hand, staring at the two of them. Mike was a few feet behind her, staring right at Matt.

 

“Ye saw nofin’,” AJ growled, taking off Matt’s shirt.

 

“Are you screwing my brother?” Jan asked, glaring at AJ. She stood up straight as something pinged in her system, everyone else getting the same message.

 

“Seems like I’m allowed to now. So, if ye don’t m...m-mind,” AJ smirked as he turned to walk over to Matt. Janelle grabbed his shirt and he was pulled back, making a surprised yelp before disappearing from her grip. Matt looked around and he was quickly grabbed by AJ from behind. Matt grabbed AJ’s arms in response, unsure of what was going on, and was suddenly thrown onto a different bed than his own.

 

He tuned and sat himself up, looking around to see he was in AJ’s room with him. A door opened and shut outside the room and he could her a distant Janelle yelling and Michael calming said yelling Janelle. AJ didn’t look at Matt as he rummaged through his dresser, pulling out a clean pair of boxers and changing into them. Matt looked away as quickly as he could, looking at the books stacked against the wall next to the bed. He grabbed one and looked at the cover.

 

“‘The Rules of Law in the Underworld; A Guide to the Reaper Life’ by Garsonnian Rutherford,” he read aloud. He opened the cover and looked over blank pages, flipping through with his thumb. Everything was blank, to him at least.

 

“Yer not gonna get much atta tha’,” AJ scowled from the other side of the room. Matt looked over, seeing him fully dressed (with Matt’s shirt, still), pulling his curly hair back into a ponytail and tying it with a black ribbon. “Only the eyes o’ ae reapar can read it.”

 

“Why can’t I read a little of it? Can you let me?”

 

“Wh-why?” AJ asked, looking back to him. Matt grinned and shrugged, looking to the book and positioning himself into a criss-cross applesauce sit. He ran his hands over the red leather bound parchment and magical ink. AJ crawled onto the very fluffy and soft bed, pushing Matt over and laying ontop of him, tossing away the book. He buried his face into Matt’s neck and put his arms into Matt’s shorts pockets. 

 

Matt groaned and started to giggle, making AJ smile. “I just wanna know what you guys go through everyday. Well, you on the weekends.”

 

“We kill, we save, and we go ‘ome.” AJ mumbled. Matt could feel the cold metal moving against his warm skin and he smiled. AJ laughed and Matt wrapped his arms around AJ’s back, playing with his small spines.

 

There was a knock on the door, AJ making a loud groaning sound. The door opened, Miss Bunny stepping in with a clipboard in her hands. She gasped to see AJ and Matt cuddling, then shut the door behind her.

 

“Matt? Admin?! What’s going on here?” she asked.

 

“We’re snuggling,” Matt laughed as AJ licked his neck, making him shiver. “And talking.”

 

“Are you…?”

 

“Nah, were just frien-re-re-ends,” AJ reported. Bunny shifted her weight onto her hip and smirked.

 

“No, you’re not. You’re dating. It’s obvious. Mike and Jan told on you and made me check you out. Also, I needed to check up on Hatchet while I was here.”

 

“She’s in her room,” the reaper sighed. “Now go befar I star’ tah makeout wif Matt.”

 

Bunny snickered and shook her head. “Right. AJ, make sure you’re in the labs today. We’re going to try to update your voice box and try not to get our hands cut open from the shadow matter or whatever you guys run on…”

 

“Darkness.” AJ looked over at Bunny and pulled his hands free from Matt’s pockets. “It’s called darkness and we don’t run off’at. We beg fer it.” Bunny raised an eyebrow as AJ sat up and released Matt. “It’s not our choice. We didn’t get a safe way to live. Dad did, but he chose to rid ‘imsef of it.”

 

“Admin, you can change, right?” Matt asked. Bunny was surprised to hear anyone other than an authority figure call AJ by his base name. They had to be dating. There was no other explanation. Matt looked at Bunny and then back to AJ. “I mean, you can get the darkness taken out and exchange it for blue matter?”

 

“I’m a reapar, Matt, Miss Bennett. There’s nofin’ ‘at can ch-an-an-ange it. No matter how hard I try.” He put his hand up to his neck and Matt saw something glimmer. He grabbed AJ’s wrist and removed his hand, looking at where the metal had moved.

 

“That’s where his watch is,” Bunny said. Matt looked over at her and then up at AJ who was glaring down at him. His glare was filled with concern, however. It was well known that no matter how menacing the reapers looked, they were always pained and sad. They hid it with anger and fake smiles. AJ learned his parents tricks well over the years and missions he went on with Leo and Hatchet, and sadly, subsequently, Tomahawk.

 

“His watch?”

 

“Life source. Hatchet has one around her neck that can be removed and put back on. His isn’t like that. His is safer.” Bunny saw AJ try and move his lips, but stop himself. He looked p to Bunny and grabbed Matt’s arm, then tapped his neck. He lost his voice.

 

“Let’s get you to the lab,” Matt smiled. “We’ll have to avoid Jan and Mike, huh?”

 

“And Peter, too. Since Mister Sir here tried to tell him a thing or two last night, according to Spine.”

 

“Spine stopped you?” Matt asked AJ. He nodded and Matt laughed. “Figures. No one else could stop you. Good thinking yesterday, Miss Bunny.”

  
“And to you, Matt,” she smiled in return. AJ stood from the bed and Matt followed behind, wrapping his arms around AJ’s backside and holding him close. Bunny admired how close they were, yet, she was concerned. The rumors would be strange. Possibly stranger than when UpGrade was crushing over Spine, or how now she was with Jon somehow. She was a mystery. No one really knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned that any resemblance to real people is just that, a resemblance and we have pretty much taken liberties with all of time and space and lives and names and principalities and systems of belief and what you read here may have nothing to do with reality? Good, then we can go on with this dance party.


	168. Junior - Whistler

There was a loud thwoomp in the portal room of Walter Manor. Rabbit stood bobbing on her toes excitedly next to Hatchworth, who grinned at the figures striding through the gateway.

"Greetings!" cried Hatchworth.

"Little Steve!" cried Rabbit.

The golem trotted through, glaring, wearing a tiny fireproof suit.

"Hey!" he barked through the tiny speaker. "It's _Lil_ Steve, thankyouverymuch!"

"Oh, I mean _him!"_ Rabbit said casually, pointing at the little figure in Steve's arms.

 _"I'm_ Lil Steve, get me? Me! _He's_ Stevey Junior!"

"Da!" cried the baby, coughing out the tiniest of fireballs.

Steve beamed. "Oh, yeah, big guy? You see Auntie Rabbit?"

"Lemme hold 'im lemme hold 'im!" Rabbit crowed.

"Gently, alright?" Steve said, passing the baby over.

Stevey crowed eagerly at Rabbit.

"Lookit the scales, Hatchy! They're so pretty!"

"They are just around the ears..."

"Hey, they're spreading!"

"Oh! Steven, quickly!" cried Carol.

"Uh oh," Steve said, scooping the baby away from Rabbit and wrapping him hastily in a metallic blanket. Stevey squawked gleefully as he disappeared into its folds.

"Hey!" Rabbit cried.

"Your clothes are flammable, in case you forgot," Steve said, carefully setting the bundle on the concrete floor.

"So?"

There was a soft fwoosh and smoke rose from the fireproof blanket. Steve opened it and a little red-gold dragon looked up at him through large blue eyes.

"Hey, buddy! You're gonna have to watch that, we only brought so many diapers."

The little dragon squeaked and waddled to Rabbit, who scooped him up once more. She put her nose to his and cooed, "Ya look just like yehr pappy, dontcha?"

"Well, not the blue eyes. So much for Biology 101."

Carol beamed. "Those oversimplified DNA lessons don't take into account anything outside of the obvious. They're bloody worthless."

"Oh, look, he likes me!" cried Hatchworth.

Stevey had attempted to eat the robot's hand and was currently choking. Rabbit hastily popped the baby loose and gave him to Steve with a look of uncharacteristic discomfort.

"Come on, baby boy. Human. Come on, human for papa."

The little dragon squeaked again and Rabbit sighed devotedly.

"Stevey junior! Human or no seeing grammy today!" Carol said firmly.

Stevey roared a tiny roar. Steve held him at arms' length as he fwooshed himself into human form and dangled, bare naked, shrieking with delight.

"Gam! Gam!"

"Oh, yeah, you like Grammy, dontcha?" Steve cooed, grabbing the diaper Carol had pulled from her bag.

"He understands you well," Hatchworth observed.

"Let's just say that we've had to start that particular word early. Most kids don't start transforming until they're two. So why are you two the only ones meeting us?"

"Um... Petes said he wanted anyone flammable to stay away..."

"Oh, that's fair."

There was a burst of black smoke and Hatchet appeared. "Oh! I'm a bit late... There he is, oh!"

"Where's Spine?" asked Rabbit.

"He went to have a chat with Peter," she said absently. To Steve, she murmured, "May I?"

Steve and Carol looked at each other uneasily.

"I can switch it off, you know. The powers. At least, I can... refrain, if you will. I just wanted to see the baby but if you're worried..."

"Just... y'know, be careful, okay?" Steve said.

"Maybe this will help..."

Hatchet snapped her fingers and suddenly looked just like any other Walter automaton... or rather, herself, as she had once been. Hatchworth gasped and Rabbit looked away.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to reassure them..." Hatchet murmured.

"It's okay, sis," Hatchy said, putting his hand on her arm.

"You just reminded me of the way things were. Back whe-whe-whe-when you were new," Rabbit murmured, still looking at the floor.

Hatchet took the baby in her arms. "They always meant for me to help with this, among other duties. Babies, that is. 'Ello, little mite... oh, in't he a love!"

Stevey reached for her eyes and she smiled.

"He likes you," Steve said softly. Carol fidgeted beside him.

"Does he?" she sighed. Looking at the baby, she breathed, "I like you, too, little dragon."

"Da'on!"

"That's right!" she giggled silkily. "Here you go, back to yer dad."

Steve took the baby and grinned. "You okay?" he said after a moment. "I didn't think you were into babies. I mean, AJ never really was one..."

"Well, it's not exactly easy as a working mum... Can't very well carry a baby around while harvesting souls. And we'd have to keep upgrading his chassis..."

"Oh, like that movie!" Carol said.

"What movie?"

"Oh, there was this little robot and he would get an upgrade instead of growing and... Well, it's hard to explain," she finished.

Hatchet sighed. "No, I understood. Yes, that wouldn't have done. But I do like babies. It's always a shame when I have to collect one."

Carol paled. "Oh, yes... yes, I could see that..." she choked.

"Shh, it's switched off, baby," Steve murmured. To Hatchet, he said, "So you must like having Tommy around then."

Hatchet flinched, glared, and disappeared.

"Was it something I said?"

"Um... best not to mention that name to her," Hatchworth said quickly.

"Why? He's just like his dad, total sweetheart. Did he puke on her scythe or something?"

"No... not the baby. There's another T0mmy. Just call the baby Luke junior when she's around."

Steve's eyes widened. "Aw, crap... that was the guy, wasn't it? The one tried to rape Carolina and Janelle..."

"And the one who made her damage her child. Yes, Mr. Negrete. He is the culprit."

"Oh, poor lamb," Carol murmured, her fear forgotten in favor of sympathy with a fellow mother. "I felt so badly for her, such a terrible situation! I thought she acted quite rightly at the time... though it feels a bit closer to home now."

She gently took her now diapered son from his father and held him against her. The baby squirmed and yelled, setting her shoulder on fire. Steve hastily patted it out.

"Well... I guess we'll take him the house around before Grammy comes to pick us up," he said awkwardly.

 

"Is that all of them?" asked Vivian.

"Every plushy. But what about the furniture?" Chelsea said worriedly.

Sam held up a fire extinguisher and grinned.

"Good... but if he breathes fire near Tommy..."

"I'm ready for that too," Same said, holding up a squirt gun.

"Oh, Sam, you're not gonna spray that baby..."

"He'll love it! Besides, better to make him cry than to set our son on fire. I think that's a solid line right there."

"Oh, I guess so... Look, I don't know about this!"

"We'll all be watching. It's just until Mrs. Negrete gets here to take them to the desert," Vivian promised.

"It'll be one big sand pit for that kid," Sam chuckled. "I'd turn into a lobster out there."

"You'd what?" Vivian gasped.

"I'd get a severe sunburn," Sam giggled.

"Oh," Vivian sighed, laughing quietly. Sam was always gently teasing her, presenting her with human phrases and euphemisms she had never heard before. She enjoyed it; not only was he kindly about it, but it taught her much of the language, something she need to live there with Peter.

Steve jogged in with Stevey. "Hey, lil Tommy! I brought a friend!"

Tommy looked up from where he had been rolling on the floor and cried, "Baby!"

"Baby! Good job!" Chelsea cooed. But Vivian could see her eyeing Stevey as though waiting for him to erupt.

"Da!" cried Stevey. A little smoke trickled from his lips.

"Um..." Chelsea began.

"Not to worry, love," Carol said, trotting in and popping a bottle into the baby's mouth.

"Lunch time?" asked Sam.

"No... just some water to keep him cool. They can play now. We'll give him a sip every five minutes and he should remain flame free."

"Should?" Chelsea said nervously as Steve put the baby down beside Tommy.

David jogged in carrying a fire extinguisher and a supersoaker. "Did I miss anything?"

"Whoa, bro, holy crap! You won't miss anything with that!" Sam cried. "He's a freaking baby, dude!"

"Oh... a little overpowered, then?"

"Well, yeah!"

David nonchalantly put the supersoaker onto a nearby bookshelf and smiled. "Hey, dragon baby!"

The baby stared at him, then pointed up at him and crowed, "Da!"

"I don't think so..." David said, frowning.

"What, you speak baby?" asked Sam.

"No, I mean I'm not his dad."

"That's his default word. Da means anything he can't name at the moment," Steve explained.

"Oh," David said, blushing.

"Something on your mind?" Sam asked slyly.

"Sam, now..." Vivian started.

"No!" David cried at the same time.

"Uh huh. Only I've heard a little rumor about someone being pregnant."

"Sam..." Vivian whispered fiercely.

David's face went from heavily colored to livid pale. "W-who?"

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Vivian, actually."

"Good grief, it's catching..."

"You okay?"

"No..." he groaned. "I'd rather not talk about it right now. It might be nothing. Yeah. Nothing at all."

"You'd better sit down, man," Steve said, looking up at David worriedly.

"Yeah..." David handed Steve his fire extinguisher and walked out.

"I meant in here!" Steve called.

"Well, I guess we can handle it without him," Sam sighed. "Crap, now I feel bad. I had no idea there was even a chance. I thought they were using... ahem. Well, I thought there wasn't a chance, is all."

"No way," Steve said with a grin.

"Oh, that would be amazing!" Chelsea snickered. "Image him with a kid..."

"Now none of that!" cried Carol. "Really! This is how rumors get started! Before you know it you'll have the household expecting David to become a father when it may not be that at all!"

"Yeah, she might just be dumping him," Sam said, smiling.

"Sam! Stop it. You're right, Carol, we should be careful about speculating," Chelsea agreed quickly.

"We were out of line," Sam said.

"We'll be good," Steve added.

Vivian said nothing. They thankfully hadn't remembered her long experience in midwifery and pressed her for an opinion. She wasn't getting involved in this one.

The babies fought over a plastic hammer. Carol broke it up and gave Stevey another drink. The babies clambered onto a small seesaw. Carol smiled at them. Her smile faded.

"Do you suppose... do jackelopes have litters as a rule?" she asked softly.

Sam and Steve burst out laughing. Vivian put her hand over her eyes.

"You didn't take long to sink to our level," giggled Chelsea.

"Well, under the circumstances... Wait, Vivian, you've been very quiet. What do you think?"

Here it came.

"Hey, that's right..." Sam said. "You've seen your share of guys caught in the snare, how did he look to you?"

The room was quiet except for the squawking of the babies. Sam's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean..."

"Chill, stupid. I was there. We were both caught in the snare, in case you forgot," Chelsea said with a smile.

Sam exhaled slowly, relieved. "Well, Vivian?"

This she heard from the hallway. She had slipped out while Sam was scrambling for a toehold. At the sound of her name, she broke into a silent run.

Maybe it was what they thought. He certainly had the air of a man who was afraid that he had made a very permanent mistake. But it was just that... he was afraid he had. Until she was told otherwise, she was assuming nothing.


End file.
